


The Ones Who Had Loved Her The Most

by MercyKiller5



Category: Dettlaff - Fandom, Regis - Fandom, Witcher 3 Blood and Wine
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:13:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22333195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercyKiller5/pseuds/MercyKiller5
Summary: Jenny starts her life in a small village in Velen and grows into a woman who has seen much of the world. She learns the arts of healing, friendship, of Higher Vampires, true love, and her own mysterious beginnings.
Relationships: Dettlaff van der Eretein/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 37





	1. The Halls of Learning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have not written anything for a long time and am just getting back into the swing of it. Any and all constructive criticism is welcomed.

Jennevieve Gontier was born on a stormy night in a farmer's loft in the wilds of Velen. Her name written on a ripped piece of parchment tucked into a small purse of golden crowns. Her mother died several hours after her birth. The owner of the farm and loft, a kindly older man, went out that morning with the sole intent of feeding his two cows and ten chickens. He did not expect to find a dead woman in his loft, nor did he expect to see a small baby bundled in rags. 

The older man only had his farm, his wife had died many years before, and his three sons had marched off to join the wars in Tameria and had never returned. He was content in his simple life, but as he looked down at the red-faced screaming bundle, silver hairs sticking on end, fists clutched tight in anger, well he knew that there was nothing for it, he would have to take care of the new baby.  
He found a wet-nurse in the local village, a quiet middle-aged woman who's husband had died of the flux the previous winter and children had gone on to start families of their own, he paid her generously from the little pouch of coins. She moved into his cottage, and his life went from peace and quiet to midnight feedings and sweet lullabies sung by the fireside. 

The man and woman settled into a comfortable little life together. Eventually easing each other's loneliness and sharing the same bed. They became mother and father to the silver-haired baby. They called her Jenny for Jennevieve seemed to "uppity" to them.  
It was apparent from an early age that Jenny was not a normal child. She screamed and ate and overall acted like a normal child, but her large blue eyes held wisdom in their depths. Often they would find her out in the yard sitting with wild rabbits gathered around her, or other wild creatures of the forest. Birds especially liked her and would happily perch on her chubby little hand and sing to her. 

As she grew older, she became wilder at heart. She would spend days wandering the forests behind the farm. She feared neither monster or wolf, and none ever tried to harm her. Jenny's way with animals extended to all creatures, and somehow, she cast a spell over them all.  
She especially loved the old ruins of kingdoms of old. She would climb through them exploring and sometimes would find ancient treasures which she would bring home to her father. 

By her eighteenth birthday, Jenny had explored every inch of the surrounding countryside and felt a desire to see the rest of the wide world. She was not well-loved in the village. The locals called her a witch, a feral child, and those her age called her mad. Finding friendship or even love was not an option for her, not that she felt any desire to settle down and raise children like the other girls of the village. Had one of the local boys wanted her, she would have refused them. 

High in the ruins of the kings who were gone, her father found her one sunny afternoon. Her long silver hair shone brilliantly in the sun; flowers weaved into it. Too him, she was a beauty, but he, also knew her happiness was not here on the small farm. He sat down on the ancient stones and wrapped an arm around her small shoulders.  
"What do you see when you look out there?" he asked her.  
"The wide world Da," she rested her head against him and sighed, "I love you Da, but I do not belong here, do I?"  
"Your mother and I love you too Jenny, but we have known you would leave us for a long time now. The question was never of if you would leave but when. We have saved the money from the trinkets you have brought us over the years. If you must go at least, you will have something to take with you."

So, Jenny bought a horse and supplies and, on a foggy summer morning set out from her childhood home in search of something more than the simple life she had always known.  
Her first night alone under the stars was terrifying and exhilarating. She could hear small animals and large alike snuffling around in the darkness. She spent the night close to her small campfire. In the early hours of the morning, she drifted off to sleep and woke as the sun rose. She cooked a small breakfast over the hot coals of the fire and ate. She was back on her horse and riding on down the road before the sun had even entirely risen into the sky. 

Jenny had heard talk of the Academy in Oxenfurt from the Traders who had come through the village, and that was her destination. Her father had taught her to read and write and by the age of nine, she had read the four books she owned a hundred times over. Occasionally Jenny had found Traders with other books and paid a king's ransom for them. She loved to read and learn and hoped she could find her life's calling in Oxenfurt. 

She passed several travelers on her second day and even more on the third. The closer she got to Oxenfurt, the more people she saw, and her excitement built. On the fourth day, her mare crested a hill and there before her was Oxenfurt. She could smell the stink of the city, the ripe scent of the port wafting on the wind.  
"Smells like heaven," she said happily as she patted the mares' neck.  
Jenny clicked her tongue and urged the horse forwards, across the stone bridge into Oxenfurt and towards her future.

Jenny threw herself into learning, consumed every piece of knowledge she could from history to the bestiaries of Witchers to ancient tomes of Elven lore. Still, she found her greatest passion in medicine. Her focus became the healing arts, all of them. She learned medicinal plants, practical medicine, and even ventured into the realm of surgery.  
Months passed, winter came and went, the world bloomed anew, and then the heat of summer was upon the city again, and Jenny learned. For the first time in her life, Jenny had found a place she belonged, sheltered in the arms of the arts and freethinkers of the world. Her fellow students and scholars did not judge her peculiarities; they embraced them. She danced and drank in every bar in the city. Listened to poets and minstrels beneath the stars and drank in all the culture and wonder Oxenfurt had to offer. 

Jenny even found love for a time. A fleeting first love of stolen kisses and eventually long nights and lazy afternoons wrapped in each others' arms exploring the pleasures of the flesh. His name was Mael, and she loved his pointed elven ears. His eyes were soft forest green and Jenny spent many hours laying replete in his arms gazing into those eyes and tracing the sharp features of his face with soft fingertips.

Mael was training in medicine too; they shared classes and passions an often competed with one another for grades. He had come to the Academy from his family's caravan. They traveled far and wide, performing in villages and cities and occasionally for royals. Groups with a Healer were the most successful, no village turned away a practiced Healer, they opened their doors, and coin purses welcomed a caravan with a Healer with open arms. 

As Mael and Jenny lay together whispering of love and passion, they never spoke of the future. They knew that when their time at the Academy was done, their time together would end too. Mael would return to his family, and the road and Jenny would open a practice in Oxenfurt. Jenny had fallen in love with the city, and for now, her desire to travel and see the world was sated. 

Jenny spent five years at the Academy. She was twenty-three years old, and foolishly felt wise. She had her future planned, her path was set before her, and she believed nothing would turn her from it.  
She graduated with top grades; that night, she celebrated with her fellow graduates. Drank deep of the finest wines they could afford and fell giddy into bed with Mael. The next night would be a grand feast and ball hosted by the Academy.

She woke at dawn as was her habit and watched Mael sleep. She toyed with his long blonde hair. Stroked his ears and face gently. She knew this would be the last day with him. Tomorrow his family would arrive, and he would begin his travels. A part of her wanted to go with him, to travel far and wide, and dance beneath the stars with the rest of the Elven caravan. In her heart, she knew it was not the life she wanted, though. She loved him but knew he was not the love of her life. He would marry an Elven lass and have children, and she would build a wealthy life in Oxenfurt, a child-free life.

Mael woke and smiled, his handsome face glowing in the morning sun.  
"You playing with my hair feels wonderful," he mumbled.  
He reached out and gripped Jenny by the back of her head, pulling her down for a long kiss. He ran his slender finger down her naked arm and whispered against her mouth.  
"One more time for the road?"  
Jenny laughed and kissed him back, passionately.  
"Better make it two, or three more," she grinned and kissed him again.

They spent the morning saying goodbye and the afternoon packing. Jenny wore her finest dress that evening and arm in arm they walked to the feast.  
The Academy's great hall was lined with tables on one end and a large dance floor set up at the other. A band played softly, almost drowned out by the chatter of the party-goers. Groups huddled together, talking, laughing, eating, and especially drinking. Wine from Toussaint didn't come cheap, and the graduating students enjoyed it thoroughly.  
After eating and drinking their fill and dancing, Mael and Jenny joined Professor Zollstock, their guide to all things medicinal for the last five years, at his table.

Zollstock was a stout fatherly looking man with watery blue eyes and a never-ending smile. He was a fountain of knowledge and wisdom and had garnered much respect from all of his students. Seated at the table with Zollstock was an older man with grey receding hair, luminous black eyes, and an air of kindness to him.  
Zollstock welcome Jenny and Mael to the table and introduced them to the strange man as his top students.  
"And may I introduce you to another of our profession, my dear friend Emiel Regis Rohellec Terzieff-Godefroy."  
"Please just call me Regis," he bowed his head humbly to the two and smiled warmly "So tell me what drew you to medicine?"

The talk around the table turned to all matters of medicine and surgery. Jenny felt the room slowly begin to spin around her, and an uneasy feeling came over her. She politely excused herself from the table and weaved her way through the guests and out onto the patio. 

She closed her eyes and breathed deep the crisp autumn air. The cold night chilled her skin and helped to clear her head of the alcohol fog, but the uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach remained.  
"Are you quite alright, my dear?" Regis stepped out onto the patio, his face concerned.  
Jenny smiled and nodded, "Yes. I think I just enjoyed too much of Toussaint's wine."  
"Ah, I see," he moved to stand beside her. "I can hardly blame you; it is a wonderful vintage. I believe it was bottled in the year of Empress Cirilla's birth."  
"Fitting," Jenny laughed. "Drinking to her health is what got me into this predicament."  
The feeling in the pit of Jenny's stomach grew. She did not understand why. Regis surely could not be the cause, for he seemed a respectable gentleman of quality. Was she upset knowing the night was coming to a close and soon she would be parting ways with Mael? Jenny knew that was not the cause and yet could not find a reason to feel this way.  
"What are your plans now?" Regis asked.  
Jenny looked up at the waxing moon and sighed.  
"I was going to open a practice here in Oxenfurt, but so many of my fellow graduates intend to do the same that I fear the market will be entirely saturated" she shrugged, still looking up at the sky "Maybe I'll go to Novigrad and try my luck there."  
"Have you considered Toussaint?" Regis asked, "There is a need for well-educated practitioners there, and it is a most lovely place to live."  
"I hadn't considered it," Jenny admitted, "But I may do just that."  
She turned her face away from the heavens and smiled warmly at Regis; her stomach felt like it was tied in knots, and she desperately wanted to run.  
"I do believe I have drunk entirely too much, and I'm afraid I must bid you goodnight," she curtsied.  
Regis bowed his head politely and wished her goodnight before returning to the party. 

Jenny hurried back to her room; the further away from the great hall she got, the better she felt. When she closed the thick oak door of her room behind herself and slid the bolt home, she let out a sigh of relief. She still had no idea what had come over her. Was it Regis? Why would she have such a negative reaction to him when he had been nothing but friendly and even kindly towards her?  
She lay down in her bed, for the last night in the room that had been her home for five years, threw aside her confusion and turmoil, and slept.  
She woke to a letter on the floor. Mael had slid it under her door while she slept. It was a short and sweet goodbye. He was gone, and just like that, their time together was over.


	2. The Long Road to Toussaint

Jenny was back on the family farm for the first time in seven years. The village of Toderas was the same as the day she had left it, the villagers too. She doubted it would change in the next fifty years even.  
She was not home for the family visit she had planned and never done. She was here to bury her parents. The village priest had told her how they passed within a weak of each other, first her mother and then her father.  
Jenny had cried her tears, placed flowers on their graves, and now stood in the yard of the old farm. Jenny had sold the cows and chickens, but she could not part with the land; instead, she let the property and cottage out to a newlywed couple.  
All around her were the echoes of her childhood. She was born in the old barn on a dark and stormy night. Her birth mother, a stranger whose name she never knew, was buried beneath the oak tree behind the cottage, and now her parents lay there too.  
She had spent eighteen years here on this land and never truly felt as if she belonged. She had thought she had found her place during her five years in the Academy in Oxenfurt, but that time had ended. She had spent the last two years since her graduation in Novigrad. She loved her work and always found lots of it in the bustling city, but at night in her small room above her office, she lay alone. She had not found her place in Novigrad as she had hoped she would.  
Now she had buried the last people in the world who had loved her, and she felt a hollowness fill her heart.  
Jenny looked around the farm one last time, mounted her horse, and rode away. She felt like she would never return to this place.  
She traveled the roads back to Novigrad but dreaded the end of her journey. The urge to travel had come to her again, and no amount of injured or sick patients would draw it from her. She returned to Novigrad intending to close down her office, settle her accounts, and then let the open road dictate her path.  
By the end of spring, Jenny was on the road with a small cart of medical supplies and food. At first, she traveled further north, stopping in small towns and villages along the way, trading medical services for more supplies and the occasional coin.  
The beauty of the wilderness drew her ever onwards. Jenny carried a sword at her hip for bandits but had been lucky not to come across any in her journeys. Monsters and creatures still fell under her strange spell and passed her by without a thought of harming her.  
In her time at Oxenfurt and then in Novigrad, she had not met anyone with such an ability. She often wondered about it in the lonely hours of the night. Was it inherited? That path of thought always led her to question about her long-dead birth mother. Was her hair silvery white too? Her father had never told her what her birth mother looked like, just explained she had died, and he buried her. Sometimes she would dream of a woman who looked like her only older, long silver hair, a small nose speckled with freckles, full lips, and wide blue eyes.  
Jenny wondered about her true father too. Who was he? How had her mother come to be pregnant and alone in the wilds of Velen? What had brought her to such a place?  
There were never any answers to the questions. All Jenny had was her name and strange hair. Everything else was a mystery.

Jenny traveled to Drakenborg and wintered there, she took up residence in a small house and healed the sick and injured from her parlor. She continued her studies, befriending local herbalists and healers and ever expanded her knowledge.  
In the spring, she continued her journey to Flotsam and on to Vengerberg, where she spent the next winter again healing and learning. In the spring, she traveled on to Lyria and then to Rivia. She treated the sick and wounded. She drank and talked to many a strange person. She even spent a pleasant evening in Lyria in the company of a Witcher named Eskel. After stitching him up, they drank and shared stories. His cat eyes intrigued her, and her silver hair intrigued him.  
"Is the hair silver everywhere?" Eskel had asked in a husky voice.  
"How far down do those scars go?" Jenny had replied.  
Eskel had made the first move reaching over and cupping Jenny's face in his rough hand, his fingers had pulled her gently forward, and she did not resist. He had kissed her, at first softly, and then he gripped her head in both his hands and kissed her harder.

He had tasted of cheap ale and smelled like blood and steel. His hands had been rough from years of hunting monsters, the callouses from his sword a permanent fixture. Jenny counted his scars, starting with the ones on his face and slowly moving down his body. He rippled with muscle, and yet he was surprisingly gentle. They had made love in the dying glow of the campfire.  
Later she had layn with her head on his chest, listening to the steady thump of his heart. She'd wondered if this would be her life now, occasionally filling the aching need of her loneliness with a random man, only to never see him again. She longed for the steady embrace of a lover but still had no desire to settle down in one place and have children.  
Eskel had nuzzled into her hair and breathed deep "Silver everywhere," he'd mumbled with a sleepy chuckle, and they'd both drifted off to sleep.  
The next morning they parted ways, Eskel on his Witchers Path and Jenny on her seemingly endless travels, but she carried their short time together as a talisman against her loneliness.  
After Jenny left Rivia she turned towards Toussaint. She had spent four years on the road traveling from city to village, staying a day, a week, a month and now she felt tired. Jenny had seen much in her travels, mountains soaring high into the sky, endless forests of pine and fields of wildflowers for miles. She had spent days drinking in the beauty of a waterfall and countless nights beneath a curtain of stars that dwarfed her and made her feel utterly insignificant in the face of their majesty.  
She was twenty-nine years old, and most women her age had been married and had several children. She was well and truly past spinster years and entering old hag territory but still looked as young as the day she had ridden out towards Oxenfurt. Her youth had not fled, no wrinkles lined her face. She still felt eighteen in vigor too. She had no aches or pains, and youth still flowed through her.  
At summers waning, Jenny rode into the boarders of Toussaint. She felt like she had stepped into a story from her youth. The sky was unnaturally blue, the waters crystalline and clear. Even the grass and trees seemed greener. The air smelled of grapes ripe and juicy in the hot sun, and everywhere she looked was rivers of wine. The houses were all painted vibrant colors, the peasants all smiled and laughed, and music floated endlessly on the wind.  
Jenny rode into the city of Beauclair in the early evening. She had asked directions from several barkeeps and was headed to the home of an old acquaintance. She hoped he remembered her.  
After asking directions a few more times, she made her way to the Harbor Gate and found a humble green painted house. Jenny swallowed her nervousness, walked up the steps and knocked on the red door.  
The door swung open, and Regis smiled widely at her.  
“My word, Jennevieve is that you?”  
Jenny’s nerves died down, and she smiled. "It is I, and I' am ever so glad you remember me."  
"Please," he ushered her in "Would you like some tea? Or wine?"  
Regis lead her down a wood-paneled corridor and out the backdoor onto a small deck with a beautiful view of the vineyards and lake beyond.  
"Please, please sit."  
He pulled a chair out for her, and Jenny gratefully took it.  
"Wine would be lovely."  
Jenny's stomach was in knots again, and a nervous tingle crept up her spine. She wondered if coming here was a bad idea, but Regis was the only connection, even if a small connection, she had in Toussaint.  
Regis poured her a generous glass of wine and sat down across the small table from her.  
"So," he asked, "What brings you to Toussaint?"  
"First, I would like to apologize for dropping in unannounced," Jenny began.  
Regis waved off her apology, "No, my dear, you are most welcome. I seldom receive guests and even fewer ones of my own profession."  
"Thank you" Jenny smiled and tried to beat down the rising tide of inexplicable nervousness that threatened to wash over her "As for what brought me here, well I do believe it is time to settle down and work in one spot for a while."  
"Marvelous," Regis raised his glass of wine, "Welcome to Toussaint."

Jenny and Regis talked late into the night and drank several bottles of wine between the two of them. She told him of her travels and adventures along the road for the last four years, and he shared stories of his own. He had not sat idle in Toussaint and had done much traveling of his own and had only recently returned to take up residence again. Afterward, he walked her up the street to the rooms she had rented, insisting it was unsafe for her to go alone. At the door to her room, he bowed low, and Jenny giggled. She was well and truly drunk.  
“You know I have journeyed for years now by myself. I could have made it up the street in one piece. It was wholly unnecessary to remove yourself from the comfort of your home to escort me."  
"Ah, my dear, I was afraid you were too drunk and might not make it," Regis joked. "At least now, my conscience can rest easy knowing you made it safely."  
They bid one another a goodnight, and Jenny entered her small room. The nervous feeling in her stomach had eased as the night went on but did not fade entirely until she was alone in her room. What was it about him that did that to her? She genuinely liked him, and after a night of drinking, storytelling, and laughter, she believed him to be a good man, and yet something in the back of her mind was trying to warn her, but of what?  
She had received an invitation to a small dinner party at Regis’s the next night. One day in Toussaint, and she was already forming the necessary connections. Regis had also offered to introduce her to several people she could rent from. Jenny already felt the little tendrils of roots forming.  
"Good wine, pleasant company, and a beautiful view," she mumbled into her pillow "Perhaps I'll stay."

Jenny woke late the next morning to a pounding headache and a dry mouth. She drank deeply from the water jug in her room and crawled back into her bed. She listened to the music drifting through the city streets, the laughter of children and voices of merchants shouting their wares, feeling at peace for the first time in a long while.  
It was late afternoon when she finally crawled from her bed and wandered the city streets looking for a tailor. Her travel clothes would never do for a dinner party, no matter how small. She spent the rest of her afternoon being fitted for a new wardrobe, one fitting for a lady in Toussaint. Jenny arrived back at her rooms with enough time to bathe and ready herself before she had to walk back down the streets to Regis’s green house. She knocked on the red door, only a half-hour late.  
She wore a black silk dress, it was light and airy and flowed wonderfully around her in the heat. Her long silver hair was pulled from her face by a beautiful sapphire and silver clip, the rest of her hair hanging loose down her back and swaying around her hips. The black of her dress against the silver of her hair was a stunning contrast, and she was happy she had taken the tailors' advice on the dress.  
Regis opened the door and smiled warmly at her. As soon as Jenny crossed the threshold, the nervous knots were back in her stomach. Regis ushered into the dining room and introduced her to his guests.  
"This," he pointed to a elderly gentleman with a full white beard "Is Count Beledal," he moved on to an arrogant looking middle-aged man "This is Francoise le Goff," next he gestured to a striking woman with red hair “My long time friend Lady Orianna and finally” Regis gestured to a tall man dressed entirely in black with black hair, pale skin and striking ice blue eyes “My great friend Dettlaff van der Eretain. May I introduce my old friend from Oxenfurt Jennevieve Gontier."  
Jenny curtsied to the assembled guests. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and snakes had taken up residence in her belly. The hair on the back of her neck prickled, and she longed to run from the house. Instead, she took part in pleasant courtesies and sipped wine.  
The evening progressed; dinner was a fine affair of stuffed duck and fresh greens. The conversation and wine flowed, and all the while, alarm bells were screaming in Jenny's head. She steeled her will and buried the feeling but still could barely eat; she struggled to focus on the conversations that ebbed and flowed around her. At least she was not the only one who remained mostly silent, only speaking when spoken too. Dettlaff was also primarily silent, his icy eyes moving over the guests as they spoke.  
Eventually, the conversation shifted towards Jenny. Questions asked of her profession, plans for the future, and questions about her travels.  
“How ever did you survive out in the wild on your own with no knight or escort to protect you?” Francoise asked.  
“I must be lucky," Jenny responded. "I only came across bandits twice in my travels, and both times they left happy with wounds patched and several bottles of port. As for monsters," Jenny smiled over her wine glass at Francoise. "Well, I seem to have a special affinity with them, for they do not harm me."  
Francoise tittered, and the conversation carried on, but Jenny's comment had caught Dettlaff's attention. His icy gaze remained on her long after the conversation had shifted to new topics.  
“Will you be attending the Tourney in Honor of Empress Cirilla’s Birthday?” Dettlaff asked Jenny quietly, his eyes still locked on her.  
Butterflies fluttered madly in Jenny’s stomach as she made eye contact with Dettlaff.  
“They do bash each other rather ferociously in Tourney’s, and I suppose many will need medical treatment. It would be a great way to demonstrate my healing capabilities."  
Dettlaff’s mouth lifted in a small smirk, and he arched his long fingers under his chin, still looking intently into Jenny’s eyes.  
"If you attend any of the festivities, it would be my pleasure to escort you."  
He still spoke low, and the conversations continued around them. For a moment, as they looked into each other's eyes, it was just them in the room.  
Warning bells and butterflies warred in Jenny’s head. This man had the same inherent effect on her that Regis did only it was, different. There was an underlying tension, a pulse thrumming between them. Throwing caution to the wind, Jenny answered.  
“I would enjoy that."  
“Dettlaff, do you remember the races in Vezima?” Orianna’s voice cut through the moment.  
The tension between them broke when he looked away, and Jenny felt she could breathe again. She hadn't been aware it had been a struggle until now. Her mind was whirling, and the wine wasn't helping.  
The rest of the evening passed in pleasant conversation. Jenny gathered herself to go, said her farewells to the guests, and thanked Regis for the beautiful evening. She grabbed her shawl, wrapped it around her shoulders, turned around to find herself face to chest with Dettlaff. She stepped back and looked up into his face; he was tall and lean and smelt wonderfully of leather, wine, and the deep scent of ancient pine forests.  
“May I escort you home?” he asked with a slight bow.  
"Um," Jenny's heart was in her throat, "Ye.. yes."  
They stepped out of Regis's house, and Dettlaff offered Jenny his arm. She wrapped her small pale hand around the crook of his arm, and they set off up the street.  
“How are you liking Toussaint?” he asked.  
“It’s like stepping into a fairy-tale," Jenny replied.  
Dettlaff chuckled softly, a pleasant sound.  
“Yes it very much is a world all its own”  
“How long have you been in Toussaint?” she asked.  
"I come and go," he replied simply.  
They walked in silence for a spell, their shoes clicking on the stone road, breaking the sleepy silence of the city. The stars shone brilliant overhead.  
“I’ve only ever seen stars like this high in the Mahakam Mountains," Jenny commented.  
“Do you like the mountains?” Dettlaff asked.  
“Yes, very much so. There is a wondrous beauty to being alone in the mountains with all the world beneath you and the splendor of the heavens above."  
They walked on in quiet contemplation until they reached Jenny’s door. Dettlaff took Jenny’s hand in his. It was so large it dwarfed her own. He bent over it and gently kissed the top of her hand. Her heart fluttered in her chest, and the warning bells screamed in her head.  
“Goodnight Jennevieve”  
And with that, he spun away and walked swiftly back down the road. Jenny watched him for a moment more before going into her room, locking the door behind her and collapsing onto her bed.  
“What was that?" she asked herself, "Be still my beating heart."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading.


	3. Something Begins

Regis kept his promise and introduced Jenny to several respectable landlords. By the end of her fourth day in Toussaint, she had found the perfect house to rent with plenty of space on the ground floor for a surgery room for patients and a small suite above for her living quarters. There was a small fenced yard in the back with garden plots ready to be seeded with herbs and medicinal plants. Everything was falling into place smoothly, and Jenny was already planning several years in advance in terms of her future garden. 

The afternoon of her fifth day in Toussaint, Jenny had a messenger arrive at her door with an invitation from Dettlaff asking Jenny to join him at the Tournament to watch the melees that evening. She sent the messenger back with a simple yes. Jenny then rushed to look presentable, luckily her new wardrobe had arrived, and Jenny picked a simple dress of green and gold. She pulled her hair into an elegant bun, wetting and curling any stray chunks of hair that had escaped. Jenny looked into the small mirror and was satisfied; her neck looked long and graceful with her hair pulled off it. She had no powder to cover the freckles on her nose; such things were not necessary on long travels. She made a mental note to get some powder the next time she was out shopping, slipped on a soft new pair of shoes, and grabbed her shawl, in case they stayed out late. 

A soft knock on the door to her rented room kicked her heartbeat into high gear. She steeled her nerves and opened the door with a smile.   
Dettlaff was dressed in a black leather long coat with a long red shirt beneath. A beautiful gold and green moth was pinned to his chest. Streaks of grey peppered his hair, she had not noticed it in the candlelight at Regis's dinner party, but under the bright afternoon sun, it was noticeable. She thought he looked dashing and handsome.   
He bowed elegantly, and Jenny curtsied in return. He offered his arm, and Jenny took it. They walked together towards the Tourney Grounds sharing pleasantries about the weather and local gossip. He asked her about her hunt for a place to rent, and she informed him of her success in finding the perfect house and her move in several days. They lapsed into a comfortable silence as they walked. Jenny got the feeling that Dettlaff was not big on small talk or any talk for that matter, but she enjoyed his company never the less. The noise of the Tournament was audible long before they reached the grounds, and when they entered the stands and took their seats to watch the melee, any talk was not possible due to the rumbling of the crowd. 

The melee began, and Jenny only watched with mild interest; instead she was stealing glances at Dettlaff out of the corner of her eye. He sat with comfortable ease on the bent, his elbows resting on his legs and his chin resting atop his large hands. His nails were long and pointed like Regis's but well-groomed. There was a wornness to his handsome face, lines of care, and sorrow. His mouth looked like it was more accustomed to frowning than smiling. The small ringlets at the back of his hair begged to be touched, but Jenny would never have dared. She may have grown up in a small village but had spent the last twelve years in cities and high societies, she would not break propriety in such a way.   
When the melee was over, they stood and clapped with the crowd. Jenny had no idea who she was clapping for; she had spent too much time eyeing Dettlaff and not the melee.  
They left the stands together and wandered around the grounds enjoying the sights and spectacle. They sampled wines at one stand and nibbled on fresh fruits at another. Dettlaff bought her an orange, and they shared the delicious treat as they walked. 

"Jenny?" a strangely familiar voice called out from the crowd.   
Jenny turned and saw a middle-aged elven man dressed in bright colors walking towards her. She starred for a moment trying to understand where she had seen this face before, for she knew it well.  
"Mael?" she gasped.  
"Jenny" Mael spread his tanned arms wide and embraced her.  
He pulled away and held her at arm's length a grin on his aged face.  
"By all the Gods, it IS you," he declared, "But you have not aged a day."  
"You look wonderful," Jenny said "And tan."   
In their days in the Academy, Mael had preferred to stay indoors, but now he had a deep tan of someone who spent most of their days in the open air.   
"Mael this is Dettlaff van der Eretein" she gestured to Dettlaff, "And this is Mael Gal' eeln an old friend from the Oxenfurt Academy."   
The men grumbled awkward hello's, and Mael turned back to Jenny.  
"Listen, Jenny, I must go, or the wife will have my head, but I have something for you. A letter from Zollstock."  
Jenny and Dettlaff followed Mael through the crowd as he chattered happily about his wife, eight kids, and caravan life. The caravan was in full swing, preparing for a play that would begin shortly. Mael hurried off and came back quickly carrying a sealed letter.  
"Here you are," he smiled, and his green eyes crinkled in an all too familiar way.  
"I really have to go," he lamented. "But please come by and visit, meet the kids," he shook his shaggy head. "You truly haven't aged a minute, Jenny."

Jenny thanked him for the letter, promised to visit soon and parted ways. She clutched the letter close to her chest. Jenny had not written to Zollstock since Vengerberg and desperately wanted to read the letter from her one-time teacher. She ran her finger over the aged parchment as she walked beside Dettlaff. 

"Interesting fellow," he commented as they left the caravans camp.  
"Yes," she smiled. "I met many interesting people in the Oxenfurt Academy and many more during my travels, but I think I've met some of the most mysterious right here in Toussaint," she said with a pointed look in his direction.  
Dettlaff laughed aloud and turned to smile down at Jenny. His laugh was deep and rich, and suddenly Jenny wanted to spend the rest of her life, making this strange, mysterious man laugh. His cold blue eyes filled with a beautiful warmth when he smiled. They stood for a time gazing into each other's eyes, smiling, the world moving around them.   
Jenny was still running her thumb across the aged parchment, and the sharp pain of a parchment cut broke the spell that had fallen over them.   
"Ouch"   
She looked down at her thumb as a single bead of blood welled up. Slowly Dettlaff reached out and took her hand, pulling the injured thumb towards his mouth. He ever so gently sucked the drop of blood away. His mouth was warm, his touch like fire. Their eyes locked. Her thumb still resting on the edge of his lip. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think. Everything was pale blue. She swam into his eyes. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears. Her chest was tight, and her body yearning.  
"Breath," he whispered.  
Jenny gasped in air and tore her eyes from his. She felt dizzy, and blackness swam at the edge of her vision. How long had she stood there looking into his eyes, not breathing? Long enough to almost faint.  
"Are you alright?" he asked.  
"Yeh…yes," she stuttered out.  
"Jenevieve"  
She looked back up at him, and he was smiling, her hand still held in his. She wanted him desperately, and he could see the need in her eyes. A feral look came into his eyes in response. She felt like a deer trapped in the gaze of a panther, utterly incapable of moving.   
Dettlaff broke the spell and pulled his gaze away from hers. Jenny felt her knees go weak and hoped she didn't fall right hear in the dirt. Dettlaff pulled her arm through his and turned her back towards the city.  
"I should escort you home; it grows late."   
Jenny did not argue. Her heart and head were still in a riot. She had never felt anything like what had just happened and couldn't make sense of it. She walked along with him willingly. She needed to be alone to process what had just passed between them. His very aura had been predatory and sensual all at once, and she was reeling.  
He walked her back to the door of her room and bowed over her hand again, kissing it ever so gently. Still bent over her hand he looked up into her eyes.  
"You really do have an affinity with monsters," he mumbled against her skin.   
He stood and bid her goodnight and quickly walked away. Jenny stood by the door, watching him walk into the night.   
"What did he mean by that?" she asked aloud. 

Dettlaff marched into Regis's home unannounced but not unwelcome.  
"My friend, come sit and drink with me. I have brewed another batch of mandrake moonshine."  
Dettlaff paced across the room "I have no desire to drink, Regis. This, this Jenevieve, how long have you know her? Where did you meet her?"  
"Ah, so that is why you are here. Please do sit Dettlaff, before you wear a hole in my carpets."   
Regis gestured to the chair across from him, and Dettlaff perched on the edge of it. He was tense and impatient.   
"I met Jenevieve seven years ago at the behest of an old friend," Regis began.  
"She isn't human," Dettlaff interrupted.  
He stood again and began pacing the floor.   
"Did you know she isn't human?" he snapped.  
Regis smiled "Yes, Dettlaff. I know. Her Professor at the Academy asked me to come and, well, watch her for a time. He, too, figured out she was not human but had no idea just what she was. He wanted to be sure she wasn't a danger before he sent her out into the world with vast medical knowledge."   
"What is she?" Dettlaff demanded, "I can't figure it out."  
"That's the thing, she is definitely not human, but I have absolutely no idea what she is."  
Dettlaff stopped his pacing and stared at Regis, "You don't know what she is?"   
"No idea in the slightest. But I assure you, as I assured her professor all those years ago, she is not dangerous."  
"Have you tried asking her?" Dettlaff demanded.  
"My dear friend, the girl believes she IS human. I had invited her to come here and practice medicine, and I had hoped she would so I could watch her and perhaps learn over time just what she is, but alas, she went to Novigrad and then traveled far and wide. She altogether slipped my mind until she showed up on my doorstep" Regis shrugged "I do not know what to tell you. She does not age; she looks exactly as she did seven years ago. She doesn't even smell human."  
"She doesn't taste it either," Dettlaff mumbled.   
"Wha?... WHAT?" Regis stood up abruptly from his chair, "You didn't EAT her, did you, Dettlaff?"  
Regis's face was outraged and shocked, and Dettlaff could not hold back his laughter. His mood shifted from tension to hilarity. He fell back into his chair, still laughing.  
"Oh, your face Regis. No, I did not harm her," he assured Regis.  
Regis sat down slowly and took a hearty swig of mandrake moonshine.  
"Well, that's good, but do tell me, how do you know what she tastes like?" Regis asked, not entirely sure he wanted the answer.  
Dettlaff explained the cut and his strange impulse to suck on the small wound. He told of the moment that had passed between them and how she had drawn him in so completely, and how it had taken all his will to pull away and take her home.  
They sat in silence, passing the mandrake moonshine between themselves.  
"Could you be..?" Regis began.  
"NO," Dettlaff snapped, "Absolutely not."  
Regis shrugged, "It would explain…"  
"NO," Dettlaff interrupted "I refuse to give that a second thought. It's impossible."  
"She is rather lovely."   
Regis watched Dettlaff squirm. Dettlaff might be in denial, but Regis was sure Dettlaff was developing feelings for Jenevieve.  
Dettlaff gazed unseeingly out the window at the stars.   
"She smells of wildflowers in the hot sun," he said softly. "And her blood tastes of sweet nectar. Her eyes are bluer than the Toussaint sky, and her hair is a silver waterfall. I have never come across anything like her. I must know what she is."

Jenny returned to the Tourney Grounds the next morning and visited with Mael and his family. They talked of old times at the Academy, shared stories of their adventures afterward.  
"Where will you be traveling next?" Mael asked.  
"Oh no, life on the road is over for me. I will be staying here in Toussaint. What about you, Mael? Will you ever be done with traveling?"  
"The longest I've ever stayed in one place was at the Academy. My life will be traveling until I die."  
He sounded content in his life, and Jenny was happy for him. They parted with a friendly hug and a promise to see each other again, the next time his group came through Toussaint.  
Jenny wandered slowly back into Beauclair, her mind on the past. She did not see Dettlaff until she had almost crashed into him.   
"I'm sorry," she stepped back "My mind was elsewhere."  
"It's quite alright."   
He looked at Jenny with such intensity it threatened to steal her breath away. She wanted to reach up and touch his face, run her hands through his thick black hair. She hardly knew him, and yet she desperately wanted him.   
"I have a gift for you."   
He held out a slender chain with a delicate white pearl on it. Jenny took it and smiled, her eyes lighting up.   
"It's beautiful, thank you, Dettlaff."  
She unclasped the chain and slipped it around her neck.  
"Will you help me?" Jenny asked.  
Dettlaff moved behind her and took the chains ends from her, she lifted her long hair from her neck. His cool fingers brushed the back of her neck, sending her heart fluttering up into her throat. She looked down at the pearl, where it rested above her heart and smiled again.  
"Thank you; it is beautiful."  
"Yes, beautiful" Dettlaff agreed, only he wasn't looking at the pearl, he was looking at her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. I'm taking the next few days off and will be posting chapter four on Monday.


	4. A Betrayal

Over the next several months, Jenny's medical practice flourished, and she found an endless stream of patients coming through her door. It was a good thing she had her work to throw herself into because she did not see Dettlaff again. He had given her a beautiful day, the pearl, and then stopped coming around. She had not seen him with Regis either. Autumn came and went, and a warm winter came to Toussaint. Jenny dined with Regis many times, but neither spoke of Dettlaff.  
The more time she spent with Regis, the easier it got, she no longer was plagued with nervousness and warning bells and she all but forgot her initial unease.  
The winter months kept her busy with congested chests and runny noses to treat, but as spring neared business began to wane.

Jenny had spent a warm evening by the fire with Regis talking and drinking his mandrake moonshine. They sat now in her small apartment, enjoying the still of the evening, listening to the fire in the hearth as it crackled merrily.  
"I shall be leaving for Vezima soon," Regis announced, "I have thing's to attend to there."  
"Will you return?" Jenny asked, worried she might be losing her dearest friend.  
"Oh yes I will be back, I just thought to warn you that I shall be absent for a while."  
"I have a proposition," Jenny began. "I' am headed to Velen in a week's time. I have lands I must look in on, and I want to visit them, my family. Would you be willing to meet in Velen and travel back here together when our business is complete?"  
"I couldn't ask for better company on my road home," Regis said with a smile.  
Regis was intrigued. Would he be able to gather more knowledge about what exactly Jennevieve was if he met her family? He definitely hoped so. And so they set their plans.

Jenny made her preparations, locked up her doors and windows, left her key with a neighbor, and set out a week later. She rode swiftly and only stopped to sleep. By early spring, she was riding into the outskirts of Toderas.  
She collected her rent from the young couple residing in the cottage, they now had a one-year-old child, and the woman was already growing heavy with another.  
She wandered the hills and forests of her childhood, picking wildflowers. As she walked back towards the farm, she spotted a familiar face coming towards her. Regis had arrived early; they had planned to meet at Crows Perch in a week. Yet there he was striding through the new grass towards her.  
"An unexpected but welcome surprise," she greeted him with a warm hug.  
She asked him about his journey and how it fared as they walked together back to the farm. At the old oak tree, Jenny stopped and looked down upon three old graves. The flowers she had left there had long ago crumbled to dust, so she lay new ones on each grave.  
"Meet my family," she said with a small gesture to the simple stone gravestones.  
She lay a slender hand on the oldest stone in the line.  
"This is the grave of my birth mother, a woman I never got the chance to meet. She had me here on this farm and died shortly afterward. My father took me in and raised me as his own. I often wonder who my mother was, what brought her to this dreary, swampy place to have a child."  
"So, you never knew her?" Regis asked quietly, "And your real father..?"  
"I know nothing of him and doubt he lives. For why else would my mother be alone in Velen heavy with child?"  
Regis put an arm around Jenny's shoulder and hugged her close. They stood together, looking down at the three graves in silence. Her family would not answer Regis's questions about what Jenny was; it seemed. He wondered if he would ever know what she was and told himself it didn't matter to him. It was Dettlaff who had wanted the answers so desperately.

Together they walked the hills, and Jenny told him stories of her childhood, of her adventures deep into the ancient ruins, of all the trinkets and pieces of history she had found within. Jenny told Regis about her strange way with animals and monsters, how she could compel them not to harm her. She told him how the villagers of Toderas had thought her odd, at best, and a witch, at worst for these abilities.  
They camped beneath the stars high on the hill that night. In the early chill of the morning, they departed. Jenny knew she would never return to this place; she had signed the property over to the couple who had been renting it. It had never really been her home and never would be. Jenny knew she had to let it go. She did not look back as they road towards Toussaint, her home.

One frosty morning they sat by their campfire sipping tea before starting again. Jenny finally swallowed her pride and asked the question she had wanted to ask for months.  
"Where did Dettlaff go?"  
"Did he not say goodbye when he left?" Regis asked.  
"No, he did not."  
"Ah. Yes. Typical of Dettlaff, often he forgets his manners," Regis sighed. "He left for Kovir. He had questions that needed answers and went there to see an old friend in hopes of finding his answers."  
Jenny toyed with the pearl Dettlaff had given her, her thoughts on what questions he could have had that would send him so far away.  
"Is he always so difficult to understand?" she asked.  
"Dettlaff has been through great sorrow," Regis tried to explain softly. "He feels thing's very deeply and loves more fiercely then one could imagine. Have patience with him, my dear; he is still learning how to heal, how to be a better man."  
"I think there is much more you could tell me Regis, but I know you are too good of a friend to do so without his permission."  
Regis stood, thumbs hooked into his gourd-straps. He looked dignified and proud standing there in the early morning mists. Jenny smiled up at him.  
“I think there is much more you could tell me Regis, but I know you are too good of a friend to do so without Dettlaff’s permission”  
Regis offered Jenny a hand up, smiling in return.  
“Let us go home”

Jenny and Regis arrived back in Toussaint as a spring storm raged, and rain poured down, drenching the streets of Beauclair in rivers of water. They parted ways at the stables. Regis hurried home, his cloak soaked through. He unlocked his door and walked into his sitting area to see Dettlaff sprawled on his settee a book in hand.  
"I see you are back" Regis moved to stand by the hearth and warm his cold hands.  
"And where have you been?" asked Dettlaff, not looking up from his book.  
"In Velen with our dear friend Jennevieve, looking for answers," Regis replied.  
That caught Dettlaff's interest, and he looked up from his book, "Did you find any?"  
Regis shook his head. "Sadly, no, her birth mother died to bring her into this world, and her adoptive parents have long passed too."  
Dettlaff buried his nose back in his book, "So nothing then."  
"And what did you learn in Kovir?" Regis eyed the new books stacked about the room "Did you steal all of Triss's books?"  
"Borrowed. And only the relevant ones."  
"Why is this so important, Dettlaff? Why does this matter so?" Regis asked softly.  
Dettlaff did not answer. He did not want to admit that Regis was right, that he had feelings for Jennevieve. He was convinced that whatever she was would explain why he had feelings for her stirring in his long cold heart, convinced he was under some spell.  
"She needs to know her truth soon," Regis spoke. "She is almost thirty-one years old and looks not a day over twenty. She must prepare for a future of moving, changing names, and starting again. She must prepare for the long road of immortality."  
"And I suppose you will be the one to guide her along this road," Dettlaff snapped.  
Regis shrugged, "Someone must. But first, I believe it is time I told her my truth."  
Dettlaff looked up at Regis, "You wouldn't?"  
"If I am to help her, I must."  
Dettlaff stood up and dropped the book on the floor "You cannot tell her what you are Regis."  
"I can, and I do believe I will," Regis straightened his back and met Dettlaff's gaze. "And I do believe I will do so now."  
And with that, Regis marched out the room, swung his sodden cloak back around his shoulders, and headed back out into the storm.  
Dettlaff dropped back onto the settee. He was mad but not mad enough to go after him. If Regis was determined to scare her away, Dettlaff would not stop him. She was bound to panic, perhaps even flee the city. Finding out she had been consorting with Higher Vampires for over a year would definitely frighten her away. Perhaps her disappearing from his life would be for the best. If he were lucky, she would take the feelings with her. 

Regis barged back into the sitting room half an hour later, cloak dripping on the expensive carpet.  
"She is gone," he whispered "She never returned home; her keys are still with the neighbor. I found her travel bags on the ground outside the stables. She is gone"  
Dettlaff stood slowly, a white-hot rage building in him. Suddenly whether his feelings were real or a spell did not matter, what she was, did not matter. All he could think was if someone had dared to hurt her, they would wish they were dead before he was done with them.  
"Who would take her? What would anyone want with her?" Regis was visibly upset as he paced across the sitting room.  
"Does any of it matter?" Dettlaff snapped "All that matters now is that we get her back."  
"Yes, I agree, but how do you propose we find her?" Regis asked.  
"I gave Jennevieve an enchanted pearl; I can track her anywhere, as long as she is wearing it."  
There was a cold rage coming from Dettlaff that halted any questions Regis might have; instead, he simply followed his good friends lead.

Jenny was combing her horse down. The stables she kept the mare at would do it, but Jenny insisted. There was something calming about caring for the large animal. The smell and sounds of the stable and the rain pounding on the roof overhead eased Jenny's road-weary body.  
Jenny thought of Regis's words about Dettlaff. She wondered what kind of sorrow he had been through. Why had Regis warned her to be patient with him? Did Regis know how she felt about Dettlaff? Regis was observant enough; she would not be surprised if he did know.  
She missed Dettlaff immensely. She had barely known him and yet thinking of him stole her breath away and sent her heartbeat racing. Every night she closed her eyes and saw his light blue eyes, the sunlight shining on his salt and pepper hair, felt his long fingers against her skin. She couldn't shake the feelings he awoke in her and wasn't sure she wanted to.  
Jenny hoped Dettlaff found whatever answers he had sought in Kovir and returned. Jenny knew she wasn't getting any younger; if she was going to find a companion for the rest of her life, the time to act was now. Jenny resolved to tell Dettlaff how she felt about him when next she saw him.  
"Jenny?" the familiar voice broke through her thoughts.  
Mael was standing outside the stall, his hair slicked to his head with rain. He stood hunched, his posture radiating guilt. A cold chill ran down her spine, but she smiled warmly at Mael.  
"I didn't know you would be returning to Toussaint so soon," she hung the comb up and left the stall "What brings you here?"  
Mael sighed heavily, and knots formed in Jenny's stomach. Something felt very wrong.  
"I'm so sorry Jenny," his big green eyes were full of sorrow and pain "I needed the money, I' am sorry."  
"I don't understand, Mael. What are you sorry for?" Jenny asked, confusion and anxiety eating at her.  
Something heavy smacked into the back of Jenny's head, Mael’s big green eyes were the last thing she saw before she slipped into a world of darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading.  
> I took the weekend off from editing and went into the City with friends and enjoyed myself. I'm rewriting the last chapters now (there should be 10 to 11 in total) and hopefully will be posting chapter 5 tomorrow.


	5. What Makes a Monster

Jenny woke with her face pressed against a cold stone floor. She sat up slowly with a groan and held the back of her head. Someone had bludgeoned her from behind. She blinked several times, trying to adjust her eyes to the almost complete darkness. What little she could see told her enough. She was underground inside of ancient elven ruins. She had spent enough time on her travels, exploring them to recognize the architecture style. Jenny shuffled her hands slowly across the rough floor, looking for anything she could use as a weapon.  
She felt a wave of cold anger for Mael’s betrayal. Obviously, whoever had attacked her had paid him to help. The five years they had spent together as lovers didn't mean anything to him if he was willing to betray her for some coin.  
Jenny's hand only found the cold, broken stone, she thought picking up one of the larger chunks of rock and using it as a weapon, but she knew she would not be able to bash someone's head in. She was a healer, not a warrior, and hurting people was not in her nature.

In the distance, a light appeared and slowly moved closer. It was someone tall carrying a torch. For a moment, Jenny's heart lifted. Dettlaff? But no, it was not him. The man approaching her was as tall if not taller, but that was where the similarities stopped. The man had silver hair that hung down to the back of his knees. His skin was as white as freshly fallen snow. He stopped before Jenny and looked down at her with thin yellow eyes. Slowly he kneeled and cupped her chin with his free hand.

“Do you know how long I have looked for?” his voice was like the cracking of ice.  
Jenny shivered in fear, but something compelled her to stay still. Some unseen force held her in place.  
“Do you know who I am?” he asked.  
Jenny shook her head no, unable to speak.  
“Do you know where your mother is?”  
"Dead," Jenny forced the words between her lips.

The room was growing colder by the minute. Jenny could feel the burn in her fingers and toes. If she could move, she would be shivering violently. The strange beings touch on her face was like ice.  
He released her face, and she fell to the floor, suddenly free from the strange force that held her. The cold still lingered but lessened as he walked several paces away. Her breath came out in white puffs, and she wrapped her arms tight around her body. The shivering began, and she could feel it in her bones.

“What is your name?” he asked.  
"Jen...Jennevieve” Jenny stuttered out through chattering teeth.  
"Hmm, not what I would have picked. Typical of your mother."  
“Who are you?” Jenny demanded with the last of her courage.  
The strange, cold man kneeled in front of Jenny again. His thin blue lips twisted into a sick mockery of a smile.  
“I’ am your Father. And I must say, I' am very disappointed with you. I've seen what kind of gutter scum you invite into your company. Traveling with a Higher Vampire," he spat in disgust, "But I guess that is your mother's human blood in you, corrupting your better judgment."  
“What do you want with me?”  
"I wanted to know where your mother was. She stole something from me, and I want it back. If she is dead, that complicates thing's a great deal. Did she leave you anything? A jewel? A necklace?" he peered into her eyes.  
"All she left me was my name," Jenny answered.  
“Where was she buried?” he asked.  
Jenny didn't want to answer, she didn't want this foul thing digging up her mother's grave, but like the compulsion to not move, she was being compelled to respond.  
“On a small farm in Velen," she trembled, fighting, trying not to say more.  
He once again gripped her face in his icy grasp “Where?” he demanded.  
“Outside the village of Toderas."  
He released her face and stepped back, sneering down at her.  
"Well, perhaps you were good for something, after all."

He strode away, taking the torch with him and leaving Jenny alone in the darkness once again. She lay her head down on the cold stone and tried to make sense of what he had told her. How was that monstrous creature her father? The only thing they had in common was the silver hair. And what had he meant about her traveling with a Higher Vampire? Was he talking about Regis? She had read Witcher lore and knew Higher Vampires could blend easily in with humans, but Regis? Impossible!  
Jenny sat up and shook her head clear. Laying here scared and alone in the dark wasn't going to do. She had to find a way out. She slowly stood and walked the way the cold creature had gone; she refused to call him her father.

She moved carefully across the uneven floor, afraid to trip in the darkness and hurt herself. Jenny felt like she had walked through the cold darkness for ages, but slowly the designs carved into the stone walls became visible. She was getting closer to a source of light. Jenny heard voices echo out of the dark, all cold and cracking like ice. She could distinguish two separate voices speaking in a harsh tongue. Would she be able to sneak past them?  
She slowly snuck closer and soon came to a doorway. Peeking through, she saw a large room before her; centuries ago, the roof had caved in, leaving it open to the sky and blessed light. The full moon was high, and the stars shined bright. In the center of the room stood the man who claimed to be her father and another like him, only this one's long hair was as black as coal. She looked up at the hole and wondered if she could somehow climb out to freedom without them noticing. Something strange appeared in the night sky, and she squinted at it, trying to understand what it was she saw. Two columns of black smoke drifted across the sky and down towards the broken ceiling. They moved quickly down through the hole and into the large room. They stopped close to the floor and formed human shapes. Before her eyes appeared Regis and Dettlaff, Jenny's heart leaped in her chest. She didn't know how or why, but they found her! Then the truth of what she had seen dawned on Jenny, what the cold man claiming to be her father had said was true. She felt her blood run cold, Regis was a Higher Vampire and so was Dettlaff!

Dettlaff sprung towards the two strange men.  
“Where is Jennevieve” he snarled, his fingers growing into long claws.  
Regis called out a warning to his friend, "Dettlaff NO, they are Fae."  
Dettlaff ignored the warning and launched towards the two creatures, who had drawn slender, glowing swords. Regis swore loudly and dove after his friend. Jenny watched from the shadows as the four men battled, moving faster than her eyes could see at times. Dettlaff and Regis shot around the room, vanishing, and reappearing, slashing and snarling. Their faces had changed into monstrous forms, fangs bared.

The Fae, as Regis had called them, flashed around the room at superhuman speed slashing and cutting with their thin crystalline swords. Dettlaff slashed at the silver-haired Fae, getting him across the chest, vanished, and appeared behind him to cut his back as well, but the Fae moved in the blink of an eye and drove his sword through Dettlaff's chest.  
A scream of agony ripped itself from Jenny's throat as she watched Dettlaff's blood splatter on the stone floor. It was enough of a distraction, the silver hair Fae looked her way, and Dettlaff was on him slashing and biting.  
Regis wasn't fairing much better; he was covered with slashes from the black-haired Fae's sword. He was splattered in blood but still fearlessly attacking, slashing his long claws at the black-haired Fae who parried each swipe with his translucent sword.  
Jenny's heart was racing in her chest. She was desperately trying to track both Vampires with her eyes. They were slowly being cut to ribbons by the slender swords. The silver-haired Fae gained the upper hand on Dettlaff and threw him to the floor; he turned to help his friend with Regis. He dove at Regis, his sword flashing in the moonlight. Regis dodged and vanished, reappearing behind one, slashing quickly and vanishing again. 

Dettlaff rose to his knees and yelled out in pain and anger, clutching at his chest. He fell on his hands, and two massive, monstrous spiked arms ripped their way out of his back. His face stretched, and Dettlaff exploded into a monstrosity, enormous bat-like wings spread wide. He snarled at the two Fae who had turned to face him, ignoring Regis. Dettlaff leaped forward in a flash and swiped the two Fae aside as if they were straw men.  
Regis, freed from the fight, turned towards Jenny. His face was feral, his claws extended and sharp. Flight or fight? But Jenny froze in terror as Regis moved towards her. Everything about him in this moment made her mind scream at her to flee, but as he got closer, she could see his eyes were still the same warm black eyes of her friend, and she did not flinch away when he reached for her.

"I'm going to toss you up onto the ledge" he pointed a long claw up at the ceiling, and she saw the ledge. "You need to climb out. There is a village close by; you will see the lights at the top. You need to take one of their horses and flee. Do you understand me, Jennevieve?” 

Jenny nodded, too scared to trust her voice. Regis pulled her into the room, she could hear Dettlaff fighting still, the renting of stone and crash of swords against claws but did not dare to look, afraid of what she would see. Regis gripped her by the waist with his surprisingly strong hands and flung Jenny up into the air and onto the ledge. She crashed down on her knees, bit back the cry of pain, and scrambled out of the elvish ruins. Once at the top, Jenny looked around, spotting the distant light of the village Regis said would be there. She moved towards it and stopped, turning and looking back down into the ground. Regis had rejoined the fight. Dettlaff was still in his monstrous form. From what she could see, they were winning this time. Dettlaff was tearing up chunks of the floor like they were clay and flinging them at the Fae who dodged and rolled, desperately trying to stay alive as Regis appeared and vanished, slashing at them with his sharp claws. 

She stood there for several long moments, torn between running to safety and the knowledge that those she cared about were down there fighting. Dettlaff looked monstrous and terrifying; there was nothing left of the man she had known. Down there was a real monster, bat-like and dangerous, faceless and horrifying. If Jenny had come across such a creature in the streets, she would have screamed and run, but her heart knew that inside that demonic form was Dettlaff, someone who had looked at her with kindness, someone who had set her whole being alight with desire. She wanted to help him and Regis because cared, but she also knew that her presence would do no good. What was a frail human against being's who could move with such speed and strength? 

Fear won in the end, and she ran across the open fields towards the village. She tripped several times, going down hard on the rough ground, but each time she got back up and ran on. Her breath was coming in ragged gasps by the time she reached the village. Dogs began to bark and howl. She only had moments before doors burst open the villagers spilled out to see what was going on. She spotted a horse and ran to it, diving on its back in one swift leap she urged it forward. She gripped the mane tight as they jumped the fence and raced off into the night. She could hear shouts and barks behind her, but they were too late.  
She held on tight and leaned over the horse's neck, urging it ever faster. The road fell away beneath the pounding hooves. The horse galloped until it could no more, and as the sun began to rise into the sky, it slowed to an exhausted plod. Jenny still clung to its mane, trembling in fear and shock. She rested her cheek against the horse's sweaty neck and felt her exhaustion creeping up on her. The sun was high in the sky when she climbed down off the horse and left it there at the roadside. She continued on foot, worried in her exhaustion that she would slip and fall from the horse and break her neck.

Jenny's mind ran over the previous night's events again and again as she walked. Dettlaff's skin tearing away and the monster within bursting forth. Regis's face contorted and twisted into the mask of a beast. Jenny recalled the night she had spent with the Witcher Eskel, all those years ago in Lyria. Eskel had told her of monsters and the many ways to fight and kill them, he bore a myriad of scars from doing just that, but he had also said to her that not all monsters were genuinely evil. Some tried to blend in with humanity or lived alone, just trying to live their own lives.  
Dettlaff and Regis were Higher Vampires, but they had been kind to her. Regis had been her friend and, at times, mentor. He had helped Jenny with healing the sick, had taught Jenny knew skills and different ways of practicing medicine. If Regis was indeed a monster, why would he be a Doctor? Why would Regis choose to heal people? The questions were endless, but as she walked, Jenny slowly came to terms with what Dettlaff and Regis were. What truly made one a monster? Was it birth or one’s actions in life?

By midafternoon Jenny reached another small village. She asked the first person she saw where she was.  
“White Orchard luv” he replied “There’s an inn up the road if it’s a rest ye'r lookin for”  
She thanked him and walked on. Jenny dug in the pockets of her trousers and felt a few coins there. She hoped it would be enough for a room and a bed. She was ready to sleep in the ditch if need be but preferred a roof after the night she’d had.  
The inn was small and quiet and smelled of cooking stew and fresh bread. It lifted Jenny's, weary heart. She paid for a tiny attic room and fell gratefully into the rough straw bed. Her eyes closed and she drifted into sleep, too tired to even dream.

Jenny woke in the dark again, but a dim light shone under the door of her room. Seated by her bed was Regis. He looked tired and hurt, but whole.  
Jenny sat up slowly and looked around the room. Dettlaff was not there, and her heart sank. Regis had not moved or spoken; he eyed her nervously, perhaps he thought she would scream and flee from him.  
“Are you hurt?” she asked quietly.  
He smiled softly at her "A little, but I will heal"  
“And.. and Dettlaff?” she asked, scared of the answer.  
"He will heal too."  
“Why isn’t he here?” Jenny asked.  
"He was," Regis sighed deeply. "He was afraid of how you would respond to him upon waking because of what you saw."  
"I see," Jenny squared her shoulders and looked into Regis's eyes "I would like to see him. I want to thank you, both of you, for coming after me."  
Regis smiled fully this time, "You are our friend, of course, we came after you. Dettlaff would have torn this whole world down to find you."  
“How did you find me?” Jenny asked.  
"The pearl Dettlaff gave you; he had it spelled to be a tracker."  
Jenny rolled the pearl between her finger and thumb, she would typically be insulted by someone tracking her movements, but in this case, she could not complain, it had led them to her and possibly saved her life.  
Jenny rose from the bed and held her hand out to Regis, "Will you take me to him?"  
Regis took her hand and stood too. Together they crept down the stairs and out of the small inn. Regis guided her to the back of the building, and there in the early dawn, light stood Dettlaff. He, too, looked weary and pained but altogether undamaged. Jenny let go of Regis’s hand and moved towards Dettlaff. His eyes and posture were unsure and wary.  
"Thank you," Jenny whispered.  
She took another step closer, her heart beating. Her mind was pulling up images of the night before, images of Dettlaff and Regis's faces transformed and evil. But she knew Regis, had shared many meals and long conversations with him, and Dettlaff was something else entirely. Jenny felt her heart reach out to him as she took another step forward. Jenny had never seen anything like him, his monstrous form a thing of nightmares, but before her stood a handsome man, eyes full of yearning.

“Are you hurt?” Dettlaff asked, his voice rough with concern.  
“Bruises, nothing more. You?”  
"I heal quickly."  
He stepped towards her slowly, cautiously maybe he expected her to step back but she moved towards him. Drawn by his magnetic pull, she took the final step, and he swept her into his strong arms. Jenny buried her face into Dettlaff's chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. He caressed her back and her hair, he kissed the top of her head tenderly. Jenny knew what he was; she had seen his monstrous form, and still holding him and being held by him felt right.  
"I' am sorry," he whispered into her hair.  
“For what?” she asked.  
"For what,... for what you saw. For not telling you what I' am."  
"You came for me; you endangered yourself for me," she looked up into his eyes. "Thank you."  
He held her tight, and she clung to him. She never wanted to leave this moment, could have stayed there forever holding onto Dettlaff, but Regis's soft cough behind her interrupted the moment.  
"I'm afraid we need to keep moving," he said softly. "Unfortunately, the Fae escaped through a portal, and we are not yet in the clear. We need to find somewhere to lay low and nurse our wounds."  
Dettlaff gripped Jenny tighter for a moment and then let go.  
"Regis is right," he sighed. "Come, I know a place not far from here that should serve."  
He grabbed Jenny's hand in his and led her off into the dawn, Regis following close behind.

The reality of everything struck Jenny as almost laughable. She was walking through a forest with two Higher Vampires. The most dangerous and mysterious of creatures she had ever read about and Jenny should have been terrified, but she wasn't. Regis had been a great friend to her, and she trusted him unreservedly. If Regis had intended to harm her, he would have done so long before now. As for Dettlaff, Jenny did not know him well but was drawn to him nonetheless. He could be in his monster form, demonic-looking, and snarling, and she would still be drawn to him. There was something beyond her understanding that passed between them, a wordless need that filled her and made her want to reach out to him, body and soul.  
Her hand was still in his, long graceful fingers wrapped tightly through hers. Those fingers could change into sharp, deadly claws and cut her to ribbons, but she had never felt safer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a Twitter @Killer5Mercy, where I will be spewing random Tweets instead of writing. Feel free to follow. I'm trying to edit and rewrite, but life keeps getting in the way, my kitchen sink has decided to leak. I'm not sure if it's a sign I need to call a plumber or just stop washing the dishes :p  
> I'm working on a novel of my own worlds and characters, so any feedback or constructive criticism on this work is welcome, it helps me not screw up too badly on my novel.  
> I have a two-year-old that likes to bash the crap out of my laptop when I' am trying to edit and write, apologies for anything I missed, he swears he is just trying to help, but I'm not so sure.  
> Thank you for reading!


	6. Love Faded White

Dettlaff took them to a small run-down cottage deep in the forest. Ancient oaks soured around it, littering it and the surrounding area in dead leaves. The inside was possibly more dilapidated than the outside, but it would suit their needs for the time being. Dettlaff called it an 'old haunt, which made Jenny think he must have spent some time hiding from the world here. Together Jenny and Regis cleaned out the worst of the mess, Dettlaff gathered wood, and they spent the evening huddled around the small hearth.

“What is a Fae?" Jenny asked at last.  
Regis and Dettlaff shared a look, and then Regis answered.  
“The Fae Folk came here during the Conjunction of the Spheres like Vampires and all other manners of creatures and monsters. Not much is known about them, for they did not stay here long. They have strange magic of their own, and it is believed they returned to their realms. I have met several before, in my youth, they were wandering in this land looking for some lost artifact. They wield swords of Fairy crystal that are stronger and sharper than any steel in this world. The blades burn when they cut, a rather unpleasant feeling" Regis shifted uneasily, remembering the recent battle. "A Fae is almost as strong and fast as a Higher Vampire, they do not age, and most have no love for other creatures. I never learned much of them; the ones I had met did not attack me. They did not tell me where they had come from or where they were going, but I did see them fighting several rock trolls. They had moved with astounding speed and strength." Regis sighed heavily.  
"All in all, they were very secretive and suspicious of me. I did not spend much time in the Fae's company and got the distinct feeling that they would be very dangerous foes, even to a Higher Vampire. But I' am afraid they are mostly a mystery, even to me."  
"Why are they so cold?" Jenny asked, "When he touched me, his hands were like ice, and just being near him was like being in a winters storm."  
“They have elemental powers. To put it bluntly, the Fae was probably being an ass and making you cold on purpose," Regis explained.  
“Did they tell you what they wanted from you?” Dettlaff asked, "Why they took you?"  
Jenny gazed into the fire. She didn't want to answer, but Regis and Dettlaff had risked themselves to come to get her, and they deserved an answer.  
"The silver-haired one, he said he was my father."  
"Explains a lot," Regis mumbled.  
“Explains what?” asked Jenny sharply.  
“We have both know that you weren't exactly human for a while now," Regis answered gently.  
“You’ve known?” Jenny stood up abruptly “And neither one of you bothered to tell me? And how did you even know? I sure as hell didn’t know!”  
Dettlaff stood too and took Jenny’s hand in his own "There was no easy way to tell you, and we didn’t know what you were. What good would it have done to tell you but not tell you just what you were? As for our knowing, well, you don't smell like a human."  
"I don't smell like a human?" Jenny asked, insulted, "Do I smell funny?"  
“On the contrary, you smell exquisite. We need to know why the Fae came after you Jennevieve; we need to know how to protect you."  
Jenny looked up into Dettlaff’s eyes and saw the worry there and a protective glint aswell.   
"They wanted something my mother had stolen from them; I do not know what. He forced me to tell him where her grave was," Jenny sighed “They won’t find anything. She had nothing but a coin purse of gold and a piece of parchment with my name… the coin purse."   
Jenny dropped Dettlaff’s hand and crossed the room to where her travel jacket hung. She riffled through the pocket and pulled a faded leather purse out; she had carried it with her all these years as a good luck charm. Hanging from the drawstring was a small black stone. She had always thought it decorative, but what if it was what the Fae had been looking for?  
Dettlaff came and stood beside her. "What is it?" he asked softly.  
“My mother’s purse. He had asked if she had left me anything, I had told him she only left me my name, but I had forgotten this." She touched the small black stone. “He asked about a necklace or jewel, but what if this is what he wanted? But it's just a rock."  
Dettlaff reached out a long finger and touched the stone “It has a glamour on it, I can sense the magic."  
“Well," Regis rose from the hearth and faced the others. "We know what he wants and are safe for the moment. We need rest and time to heal. I, for one, am going to get some sleep."

Jenny sat with her back to the cottage; eyes closed, listening to the wind rustle through the leaves of the old oaks. She had sat there for a long time thinking of everything she had been through, of her long-dead mother. What had ever drawn her to the silver-haired Fae? Did she love him? Why had she stolen the stone, and what was its purpose? What would she do now that she knew she was not human? How did that change her life? She had no answers, just more questions.  
Jenny opened her eyes and watched a small bird hopping around in the leaves in search of bugs. She slowly held out her hand, and the bird hopped up on her finger. She petted the tiny head with one finger as it blinked its beady black eyes at her.  
“How lucky you are to have wings to fly away from all your problems," she whispered to the bird.  
It fluttered away and up into the tree, scared off by Dettlaff as he came to sit with Jenny.  
"There are things about me; you should know," he sighed heavily. "No doubt, you have heard about the Beast of Beauclair and the attack on Toussaint by Vampires?” at Jenny's nod, he continued, "That was me."  
“But why?” Jenny asked, shocked.  
Dettlaff kept his eyes on the ground as he explained. He told her of a woman named Syanna whom he had loved above all things, and he told her of how Syanna had used him to get her revenge. In his anger at her betrayal, he had punished the people of Beauclair, and with sorrow in his voice, Dettlaff told Jenny how he had killed Syanna.   
“It has been ten years, and yet for a Vampire that is no time at all," he finished, his voice hollow.  
“Why did you tell me this?” Jenny whispered.  
Dettlaff stood slowly; he still did not look at Jenny; he did not want to see the fear and disgust that was surely on her face.  
"You deserve to know who and what I' am."  
He turned and began walking back to the cottage. Jenny stood and called after him. He stopped but did not turn to face Jenny; she slowly walked up to him and reached out, placing her small hand on his broad shoulder.   
She was unsure of how she felt but still longed to give him comfort in some way. As a healer, she found killing abhorrent, but she could sense his suffering, could tell he carried each life he had taken, with him as a heavy burden. She also understood that Higher Vampires were different from humans in many ways. She was conflicted and exhausted, her emotions raw from the last two days. The thought of Dettlaff killing an ex-lover frightened her. Jenny felt safe with him, but obviously, he was capable of great wrath. But Jenny also understood betrayal. Mael had sold her to the Fae. They had been lovers once and had parted on good terms and yet he had still betrayed her. She was enraged at the thought of it. Mael likely had not known what the Fae wanted from Jenny and didn't care; in the end, he had only cared for the coins that lined his pockets. But would she kill him for what he had done? The answer was no; she would not.   
Regis had warned her that Dettlaff loved deeply, fiercely. If he had loved this Syanna with everything he was, it was understandable that his rage at her trickery and betrayal would be great.  
“I will not absolve you of your sins, Dettlaff, but I will not hate you or think less of you for them. You are not what you have done but who you choose to be now."   
Dettlaff turned and looked into Jenny's eyes, searching for the truth. He wanted her words to be real. He did not want her to hate him. She smiled tenderly at him and stepped closer, raising her hand once again and this time placing it on his heart. Their eyes locked and held. Slowly he took her face in his hands, ran his thumbs over the freckles on her cheeks. He took the final step; bodies pressed together he leaned down and gently brushed Jenny's lips with his.  
A fire erupted inside of Jenny, and she wrapped her arms around Dettlaff’s waist, fingers gripping his back tight. She kissed him back, fierce and hard. Her passion ignited his, and he lifted her from the ground, he moved with inhuman speed, pressing her back up against one of the old oak trees and kissed her deeply. Jenny ran her tongue across Dettlaff's bottom lip and then nipped it in between her front teeth, gently tugging. Dettlaff groaned and gripped her by the back of the head, kissing her hard. His tongue slipped into her mouth, tasting, and teasing.   
When they finally pulled apart, Dettlaff rested his forehead against hers, his eyes closed, his breathing ragged. Jenny slid her hands up his chest and around his neck, twirling them into the curls, caressing the back of his head.  
“Regis was right," he groaned. "I' am in love with you."  
He opened his eyes and looked into hers. The vulnerability Jenny saw there almost broke her heart; for the first time, his walls were down, his face unguarded. She didn’t see a deadly, powerful Higher Vampire; behind his mask, he was a broken tortured soul yearning for love and acceptance. That was the moment Jenny fell in love with Dettlaff, there under the ancient oaks as he looked at her with his soul bare and open. She gripped his neck tight and put as much raw emotion as she could into her voice.  
"I love you too."

"We can't stay here any longer," Jenny announced, they had been out in the woods for three days, resting and recovering.  
"Why not?" asked Dettlaff, "I know it's not ideal, but it will suffice."  
“I don’t know about Vampires, but I need to eat more than berries and roasted acorns," Jenny snapped.  
“And we need an answer to what the stone is," Regis added, "An answer only a Mage can give us."  
“Tesham Mutna would be safe," Dettlaff suggested.  
"I agree that Tesham Mutna would be safe, but we cannot sit in there forever, we need answers" Regis began pacing the room, deep in thought “The question is who can we trust to take the stone to?”  
“We could leave Jennevieve in Tesham Mutna while we go kill the Fae."   
Regis cast a skeptical glance at Dettlaff, and Jenny glared.  
"You are NOT leaving me anywhere," she snapped "I'm a part of this too."  
“You are in danger, and we have to keep you safe," Dettlaff insisted.  
"I refuse to hide in a hole while you two risk your lives."  
Jenny looked between Dettlaff and Regis, pleading with her eyes. Her heart was aching, and she was suddenly terrified for the two of them: her dearest friend and her love. Jenny would give the stone to her father, she would throw her own life away to keep them safe, and she knew they would risk their own lives, possibly die to keep her safe.  
"I won't let you die for me," Jenny whispered, her voice cracking with unshed tears.  
Dettlaff was there instantly, pulling her into his arms, caressing her hair. He tucked her head under his chin and held her tight.   
"Only a Higher Vampire can kill another Higher Vampire," he said softly. "Even if we come to great harm we will regenerate, we will heal. You, on the other hand, will not and I cannot lose you."   
“I know a Sorceress in Novigrad; her name is Keira, she will help us. We can hide with her until we know what the stone is and how to destroy it," Regis suggested.  
“Then we go to Novigrad," Jenny declared.  
“I’ll agree, but only if you make me a promise," he held Jenny at arm's length and looked deep into her eyes. "Promise me you will do as I say. If Regis or myself say run, you run. You will remain with one of us at all times, and at no time put yourself at any risk?”  
“I will, but you have to promise me not to put yourself in harm's way either," Dettlaff groaned, but Jenny pushed, "I will not lose one of you, I will not have you risk yourselves for me."  
"Agreed," he said through his teeth, holding back his irritation.  
“Good, we have a deal! I promise to do as you say. I’ll go get more water, and we can leave in the morning," Jenny marched out of the cottage, a determined spring in her step.  
Regis came to stand beside Dettlaff. "That was hardly fair, Dettlaff, you lied to her. Did you know an interesting trait of the Fae is that they cannot lie? They can refrain from mentioning something, twist their words even, but they cannot outright lie."  
“I killed the woman I loved once Regis. I watched her die in my arms. I thought my heart died that day. I will not lose Jennevieve, even if I have to lie to keep her safe."  
“Syanna was hardly worthy of your love, Dettlaff. She used you to her own ends and would have cast you aside. Jennevieve is different, I doubt she would ever do anything to hurt you, and she is immortal. You could potentially spend the rest of eternity with her, don't ruin it by lying to her, my friend."

They traveled through forest and field, avoiding all towns and villages. Jenny kept her hair covered under Regis’s cloak in case they did run across anyone, it was too memorable, and they did not want word of their whereabouts to spread. After two days of traveling on foot, Regis disappeared only to return with three horses. Jenny knew he had stolen them from someone but didn't argue. Walking to Novigrad through the backcountry was not ideal, and her feet were already killing her.  
They camped under the stars, the Vampires taking it in turns to keep a watch. Jenny fell asleep every night, wrapped in Dettlaff's strong arms. She woke every morning to him, brushing the hair from her face with his long fingers. He stayed close to her at all times to the point of irritation for Jenny.  
"Dettlaff," she snapped on the fourth day, "I'm going to relieve myself, so please stop hovering."   
He stopped in his tracks; he had been following her into the underbrush. He stood and shuffled awkwardly until Jenny came back out.  
“It’s not safe out here; there are drowners, foglets, wolves, the forest is filled with dangers."  
Jenny rolled her eyes and smiled “I traveled by myself for years, I’m not going to be eaten by a wolf while peeing, but your concern is charming."  
She kissed him before he could protest any more. Every kiss and touch they shared made her yearn for more. Jenny longed for a nice warm bed, a locked door, and several days alone together.

Regis told stories as they went in single file, slowly maneuvering the horses along old deer paths. He talked of his long life, the many famous people he had encountered, the friends he had made. He had even met the Witcher Geralt of Rivia, someone Jenny had read about and heard renditions of Dandilion’s famous ballads, and claimed to be close friends with him. Jenny was fascinated and scared. She was scared because someday she too would be talking about people and friends in the past tense. Eventually, everyone Jenny had known would die, and she would live on, unchanging forever. It was a terrifying thought, but Jenny took comfort in knowing that Dettlaff and Regis would remain as permanent as her. Jenny tried not to overthink the endless journey ahead of her. She would not be able to spend the rest of her life in Toussaint as she had hoped, it felt so much like home to her, but soon she would have to pack up and move, start a new life so that people would not grow suspicious.  
Dettlaff rode up beside Jenny as they left behind the forest and came into a large clearing. Her eyes were ahead, but she did not see, she was somewhere deep in thought, and it worried him. Dettlaff was waiting for Jenny to realize what he was, to scream monster at him, and flee. He had told her about Syanna knowing full well it could destroy what was between them. By some miracle, she had not run from him but had embraced him and even confessed love for him. But he waited and worried that any day Jenny would change her mind, for how could she love him after all the lives he had taken?   
"How do you do it?" Jenny asked, her mind still somewhere else, "Live through so many lives and stay sane?"  
Dettlaff understood that it wasn’t him she was thinking of but of the prospects of immortality.   
"I don't spend time with humans," he began, "I prefer the company of other Vampires, my lesser cousins. Alps, bruxa, katakan, and such as them. I like being removed from civilization and humanity. Humans are complex creatures, and I still do not understand their nuances the way Regis does, but I have been learning for his sake."  
“When all of this is over, what will you do?” Jenny asked.  
"I would like to, well, I want to be with you, Jennevieve, wherever you go.”  
His words pulled Jenny completely from her contemplation, and she looked at him. His eyes were full of love and longing. She smiled at him tenderly, love for him welling up in her chest.   
“All I want is to be with you too, Dettlaff.”  
Dettlaff laughed quietly "Well, maybe we will both end up following Regis wherever he goes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I'm trying to finish the rewrite of the last few chapters but have been having anxiety attacks (for no reason! Like really anxiety? Really?) so if I don't get anything posted for a few days I apologize in advance. Find me on Twitter @Killer5Mercy Tweeting about anything and everything.   
> As always thank you for reading <3


	7. Surrender

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors warning, mild sexual content.

It took them a fortnight to reach Novigrad. They were all travel-worn and weary. Jenny had half the forest stuck in her hair and wouldn't have been surprised if a family of squirrels had moved into the nest of sticks and leaves atop her head. She longed for a bath and hairbrush and after that a proper meal and a warm bed. They came to the large three-story home of a Keira Metz, a beautiful platinum blonde Sorceress, under cover of darkness. She welcomed Regis warmly, eyed Jenny and Dettlaff suspiciously, but invited them in and offered them the hospitality of her home.

Jenny bathed, combed the rats' nests from her hair, and donned a clean dress kindly given to her by Keira. The neckline was much lower than Jenny was used to; she moved with extreme caution and noted to herself to not bend over lest her chest tumbled out.  
Feeling clean and presentable again, she ventured downstairs where Regis and Dettlaff sat with Keira; they too had bathed and looked presentable. Regis was in the middle of explaining why they were there and what they needed from Keira, so Jenny sat down quietly next to Dettlaff. He reached out and took her hand, enfolding it in his.   
When Regis finished his explanations, Keira sighed heavily and held out her delicate hand.  
"Well, hand this stone over then, and I'll get to work."  
Jenny pulled her mother's coin purse from her pocket and carefully untied the stone from the drawstring. She held it tight for a moment, then dropped it into Keira's hand.  
"Oh," Keira looked down at the unassuming stone, surprised. "Whatever it is, it is positively bursting with stored magic."  
“What is it?” asked Dettlaff.  
Keira rolled her eyes in annoyance "How am I supposed to know from just touching it? You have to give me time to work. Go upstairs, I've made rooms ready for you, sleep, and I shall tell you what I know when I know it."

Dettlaff led Jenny upstairs to one of the guest bedrooms. It was small but luxurious, deep purple carpets covered the floor, and the large four-poster bed draped in purple velvet. Jenny walked to the beautifully carved dresser and looked into the mirror on top of it. Her hair looked better, but her face looked strained, her eyes weary.  
“You look beautiful” Dettlaff still stood at the door.  
"Come in and close it," Jenny suggested.  
He moved slowly into the room, closing and locking the door behind him. He walked across the room like a predator stalking its prey. He came to stand beside her at the dresser and picked a small golden music box up from it. Slowly he wound it up and smiled softly as the simple tune filled the room. He set it back down and bowed gracefully to Jenny.  
“May I have this dance?” he asked, his eyes slowly sliding up her body to her face.  
Jenny's heart rate quickened as she curtsied, "You may."  
He swept her into his arms, and gracefully led her around the small room. They spun in circles around the room until Jenny was laughing, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright.  
"I like that dress on you," he smirked, "I can practically see your navel."  
"I'm convinced Keira uses magic to keep it in place. I'm scared to breathe for fear of falling out."  
Slowly Dettlaff moved his hand from her waist, slid it up her bare arm, caressed her shoulder, her throat, over the small pearl he had given her, then softly ran his fingertips down her chest, stopping at the edge of the dresses low neck.  
"Breath," he whispered.  
Jenny gasped in air; her pupils dilated so wide her eyes looked black. Her heart was racing, and she felt a pulse building and throbbing between them. Jenny slowly unbuckled the belt around his waist, letting it fall to the floor. Jenny slid her hands up his chest and under his heavy jacket. She pushed it off his shoulders and let it fall to the floor too, her eyes never leaving his. They slowly unlaced and unbuttoned each other's clothes. They had spent two weeks waiting for this moment, and now that it was here, both wanted to take their time.  
Jenny slipped her borrowed dress down over her hips and watched it pool on the floor. Her heart was pounding in her chest, insecurity gnawing at the back of her thoughts. Slowly she ran her eyes up Dettlaff's body, the muscles of his legs and stomach were perfectly sculpted, his chest broad with a light dusting of dark hair. She looked at his face and saw him drinking her naked form in, eyes full of a powerful hunger. He brought his gaze up to hers, and she felt the heat of his desire. He broke the small distance between them, running his hands over her hips, gripping them tightly and pulling her against him. It was like dropping a torch on oil, flames of desire engulfing both of them. Jenny grabbed his face and kissed him deeply, Dettlaff lifted her into his arms, and in one swift movement had turned and tossed her onto the bed. He moved faster than she could blink; he was on top of her one hand, gripping her long silver hair, the other on her hip. Dettlaff kissed her hard, passionately. He held her tight, as if afraid she would slip away from him. Dettlaff trailed kisses down her neck. Jenny ran her hands up his muscular back, laced her fingers in his thick hair. She ached for him, needed to feel him moving in her, he bit her neck hard as he slid into her. Jenny moaned and wrapped her legs tight around his hips, pulling him deeper.  
"Oh, God's have mercy," he groaned into her ear.  
The harder he thrust into her, the harder she pulled him closer. Jenny could sense the barely restrained ferocity in him and urged him on, biting his shoulder hard. Dettlaff let out a deep, animalistic snarl and all restraint fell away, he crushed her to him, slammed into her and Jenny arched her back, surrendering herself to him completely.   
They took each other, hard and fierce. They lost themselves in each other; she took his soul and gave him hers. She locked her arms and legs tight around him and came, waves of pleasure and release washing over her and he swiftly followed. They stayed locked together for a long moment, trembling and gasping.   
Dettlaff lay his head on Jenny’s chest, listening to her heartbeat pound in his ear. She had her eyes closed, a lazy finger running up and down his spine. Eventually, they both drifted off to sleep, wrapped in each other's arms.

Jenny woke with the sun; she could feel the heat of Dettlaff next to her and smiled to herself, remembering. She slipped slowly out of the bed, careful not to wake him. Jenny dressed quickly and tiptoed out of the room. Her stomach growled in hunger; she had forgotten to eat the night before, too focused on Dettlaff to care about the mundane needs of her body.   
Regis was seated at the dining table alone he looked up at her approach, and a look of extreme concern crossed his face, he stood up and reached out to her.  
“Jennevieve, your neck!”   
Jenny tried to look but could not see. She crossed the room to a large mirror hanging on the wall. Her neck was bruised, fang marks stood out sharply against her pale skin. She flushed and covered it with her hand as Regis came up behind her, still wearing a look of extreme concern.   
“Jennevieve, let me see," he demanded.  
"It is not what you think, Regis" she turned to face him, her face scarlet, but a smile pulled at the edge of her lips.  
Regis saw the smile, and realization dawned on him. He cleared his throat awkwardly and gestured towards a paper-wrapped package on the table.  
"I suppose my gift is very appropriate at the moment; I took the liberty of getting you a less, um, revealing wardrobe."  
Jenny walked to the table and picked up the package, hugging it to her chest.  
"Oh, Regis, you are truly a wonder," she beamed at him.  
"Go change, and I'll set a plate out for you."  
Jenny snuck back into the room to change, Dettlaff was still sprawled naked on the bed, the early morning light highlighting every muscle and curve in sharp relief. She had called Regis a wonder, but the real wonder was the glorious naked man asleep before her. Jenny felt a fierce love swell up in her chest for him.  
Jenny dressed in the soft navy-blue velvet trousers and corseted shirt. Thankfully the neckline covered the slight bruising and fang marks on her neck. All dressed and presentable again, Jenny went back downstairs to eat breakfast with Regis.  
“Jennevieve can I ask you some, well, rather blunt questions?" Regis asked his dark eyes on his hands.   
“About Dettlaff?” she surmised.  
"Yes. He is my friend, and I owe him a great deal. I have watched him have his heart broken once before, and it nearly killed him. It DID kill a large number of innocent people. I need to know, do you love him, truly?”   
"Yes, I love him, and all I want from him is his love in return," she answered, "He told me about Syanna and what she made him do. He told me what he did to Beauclair and in the end to her”  
“He did?” Regis sounded surprised, yet proud. “How… It does not upset you?”  
"Of course, it upsets me. I' am a healer, death always upsets me but…” Jenny looked deep into Regis’s eyes “I understand that Higher Vampires are not humans, your emotions are different, your laws are different. I understand that Dettlaff is different.”  
“Do you understand him? Dettlaff feels emotions powerfully. If he loves you, it is endless. There is nothing he will not do for you.”   
Jenny looked down at her hands and listened. She knew Regis was concerned, and in a way, she was herself. It was apparent that Dettlaff was impulsive and his emotions dangerous, but she could not help it, she was hopelessly in love with him.  
"Dettlaff sees the world differently than you or I." Regis continued, "Everything is black and white, right and wrong to him. The subtleties of human nature and actions are a mystery to him."  
"I'm starting to understand that about him," Jenny admitted. "And I would be a liar if I said it did not frighten me. I do not want him to suffer, or anyone else for that matter. I was hoping that together, you and I can help him, we do have an awful lot of time to do so."  
Regis chuckled, "Yes, time is something all of us have plenty to spare."

Jenny sat on the bed and watched Dettlaff sleep. He looked so content, his hair tousled, his arms and legs spread wide. All the lines of worry left his face when he was asleep. She knew loving him would never be easy; he was complicated and saw the world differently then she did, but Jenny knew loving him would be worth it.  
“I love you; Dettlaff van der Eretein," she said softly.  
"You are my life now," he mumbled sleepily as he reached out and pulled her down onto the bed.  
Jenny rolled on top of him and kissed him softly.  
"I would love to stay here all day with you, but Regis sent me up here to wake you."  
"When this is all over, I' am taking you far away from everything and everyone, I'm going to lock you in a room, and we won't ever leave it.”  
Jenny kissed him again, "Promise?"  
“Promise.”  
"Your little bobble is a magical key," Keira announced, holding out a blue, glowing gemstone. "I removed the glamour. Whatever portal this opens is massive, it contains massive amounts of stored power.”  
“Do you have any idea how to destroy it?” Regis asked.  
“Yes, but it is not going to be easy," Keira warned.  
"If it opens a portal, could the Fae just be trying to get home?" Jenny asked.  
"No, this would open a portal big enough to march an army through" Keira answered, "I'm afraid that if they open this portal, we will have a war on our hands."  
“Okay, so returning it is not an option, so how do we destroy it?” Regis asked.  
"You need to take the stone to where the portal opens; I can give you several ruined stones and the spell, you will also need the blood of a Fae" Keira looked at the three of them "I have to warn you, this could be simple, and it could be catastrophic. You have to be close to the stone to perform the spell, and whoever does it could die."  
"I will do it," Dettlaff said without hesitation.  
"NO," Jenny and Regis both protested in unison.  
Dettlaff stood up and looked down at the two. His eyes glinted like steel; his shoulders set; he was an unmovable mountain of determination.  
"I will do it, Keira will you please teach Regis the spell and prepare everything?"  
He turned and left the room before Regis or Jenny could protest again. Regis sighed heavily and put his face in his hands.  
"Regis," Jenny's voice was pleading "We cannot let him do this."   
"He will do anything to protect those he loves. I don't think we can talk him out of this."  
"No," Jenny stood up abruptly "I will not allow this."  
She stormed after Dettlaff, up the stairs into their room. He stood by the window, looking out over the city. He seemed so tall and indestructible. Jenny crossed the room to him and wrapped her arms around him, resting her face on his back.  
"Don't you leave me, Dettlaff," she whispered.  
"I will not let you or Regis be harmed," he turned to face Jenny, took her face in his hand. "There is nothing I wouldn't do for the ones I love."  
He looked so determined, so serious that Jenny wanted to cry. She doubted she could sway him from this path, but to lose him would kill her. Jenny had only known Dettlaff for a year and they only had a few stolen moments together. She wanted so much more, wanted it all. She wanted a thousand lifetimes with him, and the thought of losing him so soon was ripping her heart apart.  
“Would you sentence Regis to death?” he asked.  
"No," Jenny was horrified "I can't lose you, either of you. I won't, let me do this instead."  
“I can regenerate Jennevieve, but you cannot. If I die, I will return to you, but if you die, you will never come back, and I cannot live in a world without you in it. I love you. Regis loves you, we are a tribe now, and we will do anything to protect you, do you understand this?"  
Jenny threw herself into Dettlaff's arms and buried her face into his chest, breathing deep, letting his scent fill her. She was terrified of losing him; the thought of living without his strong arms around her was unbearable.  
"No matter where you go in this world, as long as you wear the pearl, I gave you, I will find you," he kissed the top of her head softly and held her tight.   
They stood by the window, holding each other for a long time. Eventually, they moved to the bed and made love in the late afternoon sunlight. The night before had been a fierce and powerful hunger but this time they relished in it. They were exploring each other's bodies and learning. Dettlaff was a skilled lover; the slightest responses from Jenny let him know what she liked and how to touch her. He brought her to completion again and again over the rest of the afternoon. In the end, they moved together slowly, holding each other and kissing passionately until they both were exhausted. They fell asleep in each other's arms, not daring to let go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	8. Say a Prayer for the Wounded Heart

Jenny watched as Keira taught the portal closing spell to Regis and Dettlaff. Keira showed them how to layout the ruined stone, reminding them to follow the order of placement exactly around the large earthenware bowl. The Fae blood would be placed in the bowl along with several different herbs and alchemy powders, and finally, the keystone, everything would then be set on fire once the ruined stones were placed. It was surprisingly simple, but Keira continued to warn them of the possible dangers of closing the portal this way.   
Keira had also found the location of the portal, atop the highest mountain on An Skellig in the old ruins of Castle Tuirseach. Keira had booked passage to the Skellige Isles for them, Dettlaff and Regis had mastered the spell and now they all had nothing to do but wait. 

After being stuck indoors for three days, Jenny was feeling like a prisoner and practically begged Dettlaff to take her from the city, even for a few hours. He relented, and they left Novigrad together, cloaked, to walk along the shores of the Pontar. They came to a small cove and stopped; Temple Mount loomed over them from across the water. The city looked beautiful from here, where the smell and sound could not reach them. The water was clean and crystal blue, and Jenny longed to swim in its cold depths. She sat down in the sand and began unlacing her boots.  
“What are you doing?” Dettlaff asked.  
Jenny smiled up at him as she pulled her boots off.  
“Swimming, what does it look like?”  
She pulled her shirt and pants off and dove into the cold water naked as the day she was born. Dettlaff looked around, mortified.   
“What if someone sees you?” he demanded.  
Jenny grinned wickedly at him “Let them look. Are you coming in?”  
Dettlaff groaned but pulled his clothes off and joined Jenny in the water. They swam together, swirling around each other, floating and kissing. Jenny wrapped her arms around Dettlaff's neck and rested her forehead on his. They stayed in the water late into the afternoon, enjoying the weightless freedom. When the water began to cool, they lay on the shore letting the warm sun dry them.  
“Can we do this forever?” Dettlaff asked quietly.  
“I will wander the world endlessly with you.”

They set sail for Skellige, all preparations for the destruction of the stone were made, they simply need to go to the location of the portal and enact the spell. Keira had bid them all farewell, she was happy to help but had no intention of risking her life trying to close the portal. Jenny didn't blame her; she had done enough and risked enough by letting them into her home.  
Jenny stood on the prow of the ship in Dettlaff’s arms and watched the sea spread out before them. She had never been to the Skellige Isles but was not excited to go. She feared they were sailing towards Dettlaff’s death.   
Jenny had stayed close to Dettlaff, knowing that every moment they had together could very well be some of their last. Dettlaff knew he could be sailing to his death and held Jenny just as tightly too him, not wanting to waste the time they had together. He would die a thousand times over to protect her and Regis and was not afraid, but he knew Jenny and Regis would be crushed if he died, so he gave them what little time he had left. Dettlaff stayed up late into the night with Regis, talking and spent his days on the deck with Jenny, always holding her. In their hearts, they never wanted to step off the ship. If they could have, they would have sailed till the ends of the earth, holding each other always, but the shores of An Skellig slowly appeared on the horizon. 

Dettlaff departed from the ship hand in hand with Jenny, Regis close behind. They bought supplies from the locals and set out on foot; their destination was the ruins of castle Tuirseach where Keira had told them the portal was located. They followed the road until they came to a collapsed arch, the rubbled blocking the way. Regis climbed up first, and Dettlaff lifted Jenny to him, together they helped her scrambled over. Ahead of them, the stone pathway had crumbled away, leaving a large gap. Dettlaff helped Jenny down and across the slippery hillside. He climbed the other side first and pulled her quickly up after him. They continued through another broken arch, and the road again had crumbled away. This time there was no way down and around. Dettlaff lifted Jenny into his arms and leaped across the gap.   
"You make that look easy," she said as he set her down on the other side.

In front of them was the ancient stone castle, a crumbling vine-covered ruin. Jenny walked into the destroyed courtyard first. From the shadows to her left, a dark hair figure sprung and grabbed her. It was the black-haired Fae that had been with her father. Jenny screamed, and Dettlaff snarled, but it was too late. The Fae pulled her up against himself, his hand gripping her long hair tight, pulling her head back and exposing her throat. He held his Fairy blade to Jenny's throat and backed up against the wall, keeping Jenny between himself and the angry Vampire.  
"You do anything, and she dies," he threatened, his voice sounded like ice cracking.  
Across the courtyard, Jenny's father appeared, his long silver hair shining in the sunlight.  
"You lied to me little one," he scolded, "Told me she left you nothing but your name and yet here you are. Come to destroy that which is mine."  
"Hurt her, and you will die screaming," Dettlaff snarled, his face had changed, his fangs and claws out and glinting, ready for battle.  
"I will not hurt her if you give me the stone. You have my word."  
Jenny could feel the blade sharp against her throat, but she spoke anyway, buying time because Regis was missing, surely he was hiding somewhere, had a plan of attack.  
“Why do you want it?”   
Her father glared at her with his cold yellow eyes. She could see the disgust, could feel bitter hatred emanating off of him when he looked at her.  
"To open the doorway to my world."  
“Why do you want to open the doorway to your world?”   
"You dare question me? Spawn of my greatest mistake? Your mother was a fool, and I an even bigger one, letting her into my bed. She stole from me and brought you into this world. I curse her memory," he spat.  
Dettlaff snarled again but didn’t move, his eyes darting between Jenny and her father. Jenny could tell he wanted to attack but would not move while her life was at risk.   
“Why do you want to open the portal?” Jenny demanded.  
"Our world is dying," the one holding her answered, "The world of our father's people, your people. Let us open the door and save them."  
"So you can invade this world? I think not," Jenny snapped.

While they had been talking, Jenny had been slowly inching her hand towards her belt where her dagger lay. She saw a ripple in the air behind her father, the slightest distortion, and acted. In a flash, she whipped her dagger out and slammed the blade back into the black-haired Fae. Everything happened quickly. His grip on the sword loosed as he grunted in pain, and Jenny dropped to the ground, covering her head. She felt Dettlaff pass over her, slamming into the Fae. The stone wall behind them exploded into a thousand pieces at the force of the impact. Behind her father, Regis struck, slashing with his deadly claws.

Jenny rolled away from the wall and crawled towards the castle door. She could hear stone rending and ferocious snarls behind her and kept going. She needed to get out of their path; she was no use in this fight, only a liability. She pushed through the wooden door and slammed it shut behind her. Jenny peeked through the crack in the door at the courtyard. Her father was motionless on the ground, his silver hair soaked in his blood.  
The black-haired Fae was on his knees, bleeding profusely. He held his arms out in surrender, Dettlaff raised his claws to strike, but Regis stopped him.  
"No, he could be of use, my friend."  
Jenny came back into the courtyard and ran to Dettlaff, he enveloped her in his arms and kissed her hair.   
“Are you hurt?” he asked.  
“No, I’m fine” she went on her toes and kissed him quickly.  
The black-haired Fae remained on his knees, hands up, eying the three with his cold yellow eyes. Jenny looked down at him with curiosity. This was the first time she had seen a Fae in the bright sunlight. His skin was as pale as her father's had been, delicate vines were carved into the skin of his cheeks and neck. The scars were old and faded; they were some form of a gruesome tattoo, carved instead of inked. His hair was a long glossy sheet of blackness and his lips a pale blue. If he resembled anything, it was the elves, with his high cheekbones and sharp features.  
“Who are you?” Jenny asked.  
"I' am your brother," he answered, lifting his head in pride and defiance, "The son of our father's true wife."  
The shock washed over Jenny; she had a brother! She had thought she was without a family most of her life, and yet this strange Fae was her half-brother.  
“Why did you want to open the portal?” Jenny asked.  
“I spoke the truth, our world is dying” he met Jenny’s eyes “But you are right, we will invade, slaughter your people to make a home for ours.”  
“What is your name?” Jenny asked softly.  
“Alvaro Tiarnabáis.”  
He was still bleeding, and what little color he had in his face was quickly fading.  
"Regis, bring me my bag, please. I' am a healer, I can help you if you let me?"  
Alvaro nodded and slumped to the ground, he was a warrior, but the blood loss had weakened him significantly. Regis brought Jenny her travel bag, and she dug through it, pulling out bandages. Jenny slowly peeled back the Fae's strange green armor to reveal deep slashes across his chest and ribs, and her daggers wound. She examined him quickly, no arteries had been cut, or he would be dead already, but she still needed to stop the bleeding. Jenny pulled a yarrow tincture from the bag and slowly applied it to the wounds. Alvaro lay back with his eyes closed, but no signs of pain crossed his serene face.  
“Do you know who my mother was?” Jenny asked as she worked.  
"A human woman, some sort of Nobility in your world, her name was Sephori. Our father loved to toy with humans, a waste of time, but he so enjoyed her infatuation while it lasted. He became even more fascinated with her when she grew heavy with child; he had thought our two species could not conceive a child. His mistake, he shamed my mother when he lay with a human, shamed me when he made a child with her. She found out what he was looking for, the iuchair stone. She knew where it was and took it before he could find it. We spent years looking for her and then learned of a human girl with hair of molten silver.”  
He glared at Jenny, his yellow eyes full of resentment. Dettlaff snarled threateningly at the Fae; he had not moved from his place behind Jenny, and Regis sat on the other side of the courtyard watching closely.  
“You thought I would lead you to my mother?”  
Alvaro nodded. Jenny finished wrapping the bandages around his wounds and sat back, eyeing her work. Satisfied, she looked up into his eyes; there was no love for her there, no familial bond, just resentment, and anger.  
“What now?” she asked.  
Alvaro looked at the body of their father, a soft sadness coming into his eyes.  
"I wish to return him to our world, tell my mother what happened, bury him the Hall of Ancestors. I have no desire to invade this world, our numbers are too few, and we would not win. I made a vow to my father to follow his orders without question, but with his death, I' am free of it. I give my word to depart from this world and never return. I will lead no armies here and exact no revenge on any of you for my father's death."  
“Am I supposed to believe you?” Jenny asked.  
Regis interjected before the Fae could answer, "Fae cannot lie; he speaks the truth."  
Jenny looked between the two, another piece of knowledge about herself discovered. She didn’t know how she felt about not being able to lie and wondered what else she did not know about herself.  
“And what of the portal?” Dettlaff asked.  
“Destroy the iuchair stone, and the portal will close forever," Alvaro answered.   
“Do we need to destroy it?” Jenny looked up at Dettlaff, afraid for him again.  
"As long as the portal between worlds exists, there will be those who seek to use it," Alvaro warned.  
Jenny looked between the three; she could feel the tears building in her eyes.  
"No, it's over" she stood and pointed at her father's body "He is dead, it's over!"  
"It will never be over until the stone is destroyed," Dettlaff said softly, reaching out to Jenny.  
She pulled away from him, anger and sadness washing over her. The tears spilled over and ran down her freckled cheeks.  
"NO!" she sobbed. "It's over. IT'S OVER!"  
Dettlaff grabbed Jenny by the shoulders and pulled her against him. She tried to shove him away, but he did not let go, just held on tight. Jenny's heart was breaking; she wanted to scream at him, hit him. There was no need for anyone to sacrifice their life if her father was dead. She cried in Dettlaff's arms, sobbed her anger and frustration out until there was nothing left but a hollow sadness in her chest. Dettlaff held her through it, stroking her hair.  
When Jenny was done crying, Dettlaff led her out of the courtyard and away from the body of her dead father, away from her wounded half-brother and Regis. He guided her to the peak of the mountain. They stood on top of the world, the clouds beneath them and the pale blue sky above.  
"I want to go back to Toussaint," she whispered.

Dettlaff held her from behind, his head restringing on top of hers, she leaned against him watching the sun slowly sink behind the rim of the world. They stood there in silence until the stars began to shine in the sky. Dettlaff lifted her easily into his arms and carried her back down. Behind the ruined castle, on the trail to the peak was a small house, carved into the rock. Dettlaff took her here. He slowly lit the candles, Jenny watching him closely, terrified that if she took her eyes from him, he would disappear.  
When he had finished lighting the candles, he turned to Jenny and slowly undressed her. They lay naked in the candlelight, kissing and caressing for hours. Sometime before dawn, they made love, slowly, savoring every kiss and touch. Jenny fell asleep in his arms as the first rays of light spread into the sky. Dettlaff lay with her, whispering his undying love to her, touching her face, her silver hair. He counted the freckles on her nose and cheeks. When Dettlaff finally rose from the small bed and dressed, the sun was high in the sky. He looked down at her one last time; she looked beautiful in the soft glow of the candles. If he could have stayed in that little house forever with her, he would have. He kneeled, and tenderly kissed her forehead. Dettlaff caressed her cheek one last time.  
"Keep me alive in your heart," he whispered, "One day, I will be revived, and when I' am, I swear I will find you and never leave you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, commenting, the kudos, everything. I have one more chapter to go! Hopefully, I can have that out by tomorrow.


	9. Ninety Years of Sorrow

Regis sat in the old hall where once Jarls had sat; now it was a lonely, crumbling, windswept ruin. The spell Keira had given him was ready; he just waited for Dettlaff. He had considered just doing it himself several times during the long night, but he could not go behind Dettlaff's back that way.

“Is it ready?” Dettlaff asked as he swept into the room.  
"Yes," Regis looked up at Dettlaff. "Please, my friend, allow me to do this thing. You helped me regenerate once; I would not be here if not for you. Let me repay my debt to you."  
"I could not live with myself if I let you."  
"Then let me help you; you do not have to do this alone. I will stay with until the bitter end."  
“And what of Jennevieve? Would you have her left here alone without us?”  
"She lived fine without us, and she will do so again. In fact, I'm of the opinion that her life would better without two Higher Vampires in it."  
Dettlaff gripped his friends' shoulders tight and looked deep into his eyes. They looked at each other for a long time, speaking without words. The bond between the two was deep and powerful, something beyond human comprehension. Dettlaff knew Regis would not leave his side unless forced, and he had no desire to force Regis to do anything. He silently admitted defeat, hugged Regis tight, and then moved to enact the final part of the spell.

Jenny woke up alone. The small house was empty. She jumped out of bed and hurriedly put her clothes on. As she opened the door, the mountain shook, she stumbled and fell to the ground.   
"NO," she screamed, "DETTLAFF."  
She crawled across the shaking ground towards the castle. When the shaking stopped, she stood and ran, jumping over rubble and the gaps in a mad dash. She stumbled down to the ruined keep, what little that had remained was gone. All that was left was smashed and scorched stones. Regis and Dettlaff were nowhere to be seen. Jenny ran into the rubble and dug; she threw stones aside and dug until her fingers bled, but she did not find them, only burnt ruins.  
Jenny screamed herself hoarse, kneeling in the ruins, beating her hands bloody. She lay there through the night sobbing until her tears ran dry. Jenny lay there in the ruins as the sun rose; she would have never moved, but as the sun reached its zenith, Alvaro came and carried her limp body away. He took her back to the small house, fed her, and gave her water. Jenny ate and drank in a daze, her eyes gazing lifelessly ahead.  
Jenny stayed in her catatonic state for days while Alvaro cared for her. When she finally came back to herself, she looked at Alvaro in confusion.  
"Why are you here? Why do you help me?" she asked.  
"You are a healer, a good one. My wounds are almost gone, I owe you." He looked down at his hands. "And even if your existence brings shame to my family, shared blood runs through your veins. There are rules among my people; we do not abandon blood."  
“You owe me nothing. I want nothing” Jenny’s voice was hollow, lifeless, her eyes cold.  
"I did not ask what you wanted; I did what was right," Alvaro replied simply.  
"And what of your world?" Jenny asked, "Is it not dying? What will you do?"   
"There are other worlds, ones with no populations that we can move to. Our father chose this one because of his obsession with humans. He called them Tine Etile, it is a little glowing bug in our world, much like your fireflies. He found human lives so bright and fleeting; I believe he wanted to enslave the human race so he could toy with humanity for eternity."  
Jenny did not want to be alone; she did not want to speak of her loss. It was all too fresh, but listening to Alvaro talk in his cracking, cold voice was better than silence.  
“Tell me about the Fae world.”  
"It is beautiful but very different from this one. When I first came here, the storms frightened me; I thought the world was ending with lightning ripping the sky and rain pouring down like a waterfall. Rain on my homeworld is always soft; there is never lightning. The sun is not as bright; it is a beautiful soft white glow in the sky. Everything is a soft green, the skies a sweet blue. This world is harsh compared to the one I came from."  
“Why is it dying?”  
“Ice is coming from the north and south, slowly eating up all the land. Someday there will be nothing but ice.”  
"But the White Frost was stopped," Jenny said, confused.  
"It is not the White Frost; it is the natural death of a world, something that cannot be stopped."  
"I want to die," Jenny whispered.  
"You will live forever, outside of the natural order of this world, in everlasting light. Those you know and love will live, breathe, and die. You are permanence and will learn to make a nemesis of time. The one blessing you have is the knowledge that those whom you love the most will someday return to you. If you must linger here, then do so, but hope is not lost to you, little sister."

Alvaro left to his world and took their father's body with him, never to return, as he had sworn. Jenny took a ship back to Novigrad. She would tell Keira that the spell had worked, and from there, she did not know.   
Standing at the ship as Novigrad came into view, Jenny felt nothing. She was a shell, her emotions numb, and she doubted she would ever feel again, at least not until Dettlaff and Regis returned to her. Jenny held the pearl tight in her hand as she departed from the ship and walked through the streets of Novigrad. Eventually, she arrived at Keira's door. Jenny stood on the steps looking up at the house. The window above her was the room she had shared with Dettlaff. He had stood in that very window, looking out over the city as he held her. Jenny had been afraid of losing him then, now she was on the other side of that window and had lost everything, and the pain was unbearable.  
Keira opened the door; Jenny hadn't knocked, just stood staring at the window. The look of irritation on Keira's face faded when she realized who it was, to be replaced with concern and sadness. They looked at each other for a long time. Jenny's eyes said it all. Keira sighed heavily and ushered Jenny in.  
Jenny sat in Keira's kitchen, sipping tea, enjoying the smells of food and potions cooking. Keira had not asked Jenny any questions, and now she bustled around the kitchen, stirring pots and adding ingredients, humming softly to herself. The peaceful calm was broken by a loud clamoring and thumping from the entry hall. A smile lit Keira's face at the ruckus.  
“That will be Lambert and Eskel, back from a hunt.”  
“Did you say Eskel?” Jenny asked.  
Keira nodded, "My husband is a retired Witcher, but on occasion, he goes hunting with old friends. Do you know Eskel?"  
"I met him once a long time ago."  
The commotion had moved down the hallway and was approaching the kitchen; Jenny could hear the laughter of two men. The door swung open, and a tall, dark-haired Witcher dressed in black leather entered. He crossed the room and swept Keira into his arms, kissing her deeply through her giggles. Jenny everted her eyes, she did not envy others' happiness, but it was hard to look at.  
“Is that you? Jenny?”   
Eskel's voice took Jenny back in time, to Lyria and Rivia. The places of her younger years before she knew what true love was, real heartbreak. She smiled at Eskel, a smile that did not reach her eyes. He had aged and carried new scares, but he still moved like a deadly viper, ready to strike.  
“How has the Path treated you, Eskel?” Jenny asked.  
Before she could stop him, he pulled her into a bear hug; he grinned at Jenny like a long lost friend, not a one night stand. Keira and Lambert looked at the two of them in confusion but refrained from asking. They both knew the personal relationships of Withcers could be complicated affairs.  
Eskel's joy at seeing Jenny and the focus he gave her over dinner that night sparked something. Not love or lust, but a small spark of hope and will to live. There were still people in this world, even connections to be made, ills to be healed. She may never feel truly alive again, a part of her would be absent until Dettlaff returned, but she wasn't completely lost.  
Jenny chose to travel with Eskel on his Witchers Path with him. Jenny roamed far and wide through the world, moving from city to city, a shell of her former self, left waiting, full of sorrow and pain. Jenny kept the pearl from Dettlaff around her neck always, remembering his promise that as long as she wore it, he would find her. Traveling did not numb her pain, and time wore on her. Jenny eventually parted ways with Eskel and returned to Toussaint. She had traveled for many years, and Toussaint was a new world, but the skies were still as blue, the grass as green, and her memories of a happier time were there.

Jenny built a small cottage and lived in solitude. She read books, picked herbs, and let time pass her by. On the eve of her one hundred and twenty-first birthday she walked to Tesham Mutna with a telescope, she had found a new fascination with the stars and spent much of her time climbing high places to seek out the night sky. Jenny spent the afternoon enjoying the view of the valley and Beauclair in the distance. When the sun sunk behind the distant mountains, Jenny set up her telescope and gazed through it at the heavens above.  
Jenny was gazing at a nebula of gold and red when she felt the presence move behind her. She recognized the warning bells in her head and knots in her stomach as a warning that a Vampire approached. Jenny did not dare to hope as she slowly turned around.   
"You look beautiful with the moonlight in your hair," Dettlaff whispered.  
He was so close to Jenny, all she had to do was reach out and touch him, but she had dreamed of this moment so many times she was unsure if it was real or yet another dream.  
“I have missed you so very much.”  
Tears ran silently down her cheeks as she looked at him. He was the same, his eyes the clear blue of a winters morning, hair dark and streaked with grey, his lips quirked in a small smile. Slowly he reached out to her, his long fingers inches from her face. Jenny almost fainted when he cupped her cheek softly.  
"Oh God's, you're real," she sobbed and fell into his arms.  
He pulled her close, wrapped himself around her. Regis strolled from the shadows behind Dettlaff, a smile on his face. Jenny felt a sharp, beautiful pain in her chest as her heart finally returned to her. There under the stars, Jenny was made whole again as those who had loved her the most had finally returned to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is the end of the chapter based stories. I have written 3 more add ons to this, basically stand-alone stories. I will upload each one over the next few days. Thank you so very much for reading. I will be going back over the chapters to edit spelling and grammar but I won't be changing the storyline at all.   
> I'm not sure what I will do now if I will write another story or not. I am working on a novel of my own so if I do write anything for here it will be in my spare time. If you have any suggestions drop them below!


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